TinkTatoo
Has a Tink tattoo on her shoulder
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2004
- Messages
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Tinks Twinkle and Tinsel Tour Day 18 Swimming and Epcot New Years Eve
Cast
Jakki 44 Loves all things Disney and Christmas
Steve 50 Joining us a week later also loves Christmas
Aodhan 9 Wants to see the Holiday Fireworks
Niamh 8 Cant wait to see Minnie in her Holiday finery
Sunday 31st December
We all woke at around 8am, DH had a very bad migraine so once the kids and I had breakfast we set off for the pool and stayed there until about 2pm. I forgot the camera today so there are no photos
. We werent even going to attempt a park today. They had all been opened since 7am so would be packed. DHs headache was still bad when we got back to the room so the kids and I showered and changed and set off for out ADR at the Yacht Club Galley leaving DH in bed.
We caught the boat to MK, which went via Fort Wilderness first and from there took the bus to the Yacht Club. We had a look around both resorts but in the rush to get out of the room and leave DH in peace I forgot the camera. There was a great Christmas cable car, snow scene at the YC and a gingerbread carousel at the BC but I didnt get photos of either. Stormalong Bay was busy with people taking advantage of the great weather.
We spent some time in the arcade and then went back to the YC at about 5:15pm. There was already a line forming at the podium for the restaurant even though it wasnt open, so I sat the kids where I could see them and let them play on their Nintendos while I waited in the line. There were people looking for walk-ins and as the restaurant had just opened, most managed to get in.
I checked in and we were seated right away. The buffet was really nice and I asked Chef if he would be able to cook a bowl of plain pasta for DS. (There was a pasta dish on the menu so he was able to do it.) The selection was good with salmon, pasta dishes, salad, cheese and they had a separate station for prime rib of beef. DS was most impressed when he asked if he could have some beef and the chef said Of course you can Sir He told me that no one had ever called him Sir before and he felt very important.
We finished our meal at around half 6 and the restaurant was still not full.
We walked up to the international Gateway and although it was busy, they were still letting people in to the park. I have never seen so many people, they had a traffic system where CMs with lighted rope were directing the flow of people. You could walk on one side to go one way and on the other side to go the other way.
There were too many people for DS so when we came to the first accessible area the other side of the UK I showed our Guest Assistance Card, explained about the kids autism and asked if we could stand in this area. The CM asked me if we were on the list it seems each accessible area in Epcot had a list and you needed to put your name on the list to get into the area to watch the fireworks. The list had been in operation since the park opened. I explained that they wouldnt have been able to tolerate this many people all day and we had only just arrived. The CM I spoke to went off to chat with the other CM and it seems that a wheelchair user whos name was down was now not going to be in this area so she kindly let us in. I sat DS and DD down and gave them the Nintendos and a drink, which distracted them enough from the crowds to get through the hour wait until Illuminations.
It was very windy and as the wind was blowing in our direction I knew wed get covered in a lot of smoke (this was probably another reason why we were able to get into this area.) While I waited I look at the crowds and the place was packed, by the time Illuminations started they were about 10 deep at the railings and as this wasnt a great viewing area I dread to think what it was like over the other side of the lake.
I noticed that there was a Dining and Dancing area opened just behind us and asked the CM about it. She said it was called the Carnation room although I cant find any reference to it on the net - And she said it was a very large area, which used to house the Millennium exhibition. She also said it was only opened on Mothers Day and NYE. There were some people in the viewing area that had eaten dinner there. They said it was a buffet and cost $59.99 per adult. They had their dinner when it opened at 4pm and they said the dancing started at 8pm. It seems when they phoned to make an ADR the CMs didnt know about it and had to go off to check. I am guessing that they dont advertise it so that it can be booked by people in the park looking for somewhere to eat.
At 7pm there was a countdown and the Rose and Crown plus all the Brits (and us Irish) erupted into cheers of Happy New Year. We could see the R&C and the CMs did a couple of laps of the dining room cheering. It looked great fun.
It was soon time for Illuminations and they were great as ever. I had a pair of sunglasses and the kids shared these to keep out the smoke. I wasnt sure if we would get to see the extra NYE fireworks and was pleased to see that we did. They were fantastic and well worth seeing. When they were over we decided to go out the front of Epcot and get a bus to VWL so we started to go with the flow. DS said he was hungry so I stopped at the McDs fries hut. We waited about 15 minutes and while we were waiting I noticed that the crowd was now totally bottlenecked and not moving. It was just wall to wall people and there was no way I could take the kids back out into that (not that we could get into it anyway). A CM came through the bushes and I explained about the kids and asked her if there was another way out. She said there wasnt and the crowd was totally ignoring their directions and was now jammed solid. I could see that it was clearer and at least moving back where we came from, so I got the kids to climb over the fence and we walked through the bushes and along the grass for about 50 yards. We then came out through a little gate back near the viewing area. Phew at least there was space to move here. We werent the only ones to do it I looked back and saw a family lift over an elderly member of their group and a child in a buggy. We were able to walk out of the park though the international gateway and as we left I noticed that most of the railing space for the midnight show (some 4 hours away) was already taken.
It was totally manic in Epcot and really scary when we were stuck in the crowds
. I am just thankful that we decided to get the fries otherwise it could have been disastrous for DS and DD if they were stuck and surrounded by all those people and I dread to think what it was like just after the midnight show.
We walked back to the BC and there was a MK bus as the stop just as we got there and we got on it. Back at MK we decided to get a WL bus instead of the boat and we were back at the lodge just after half nine. I got a sandwich and took it back to the room for DH and he ate it as he was now feeling better.
We went to bed at half 10 and the MK fireworks woke me at midnight but as we couldnt see them I went back to sleep. Im glad we saw the Epcot fireworks but Id never try and see them again if we had the kids with us.
Weather - hot and sunny shorts and T-shirts
Cast
Jakki 44 Loves all things Disney and Christmas
Steve 50 Joining us a week later also loves Christmas
Aodhan 9 Wants to see the Holiday Fireworks
Niamh 8 Cant wait to see Minnie in her Holiday finery
Sunday 31st December
We all woke at around 8am, DH had a very bad migraine so once the kids and I had breakfast we set off for the pool and stayed there until about 2pm. I forgot the camera today so there are no photos
. We werent even going to attempt a park today. They had all been opened since 7am so would be packed. DHs headache was still bad when we got back to the room so the kids and I showered and changed and set off for out ADR at the Yacht Club Galley leaving DH in bed. We caught the boat to MK, which went via Fort Wilderness first and from there took the bus to the Yacht Club. We had a look around both resorts but in the rush to get out of the room and leave DH in peace I forgot the camera. There was a great Christmas cable car, snow scene at the YC and a gingerbread carousel at the BC but I didnt get photos of either. Stormalong Bay was busy with people taking advantage of the great weather.
We spent some time in the arcade and then went back to the YC at about 5:15pm. There was already a line forming at the podium for the restaurant even though it wasnt open, so I sat the kids where I could see them and let them play on their Nintendos while I waited in the line. There were people looking for walk-ins and as the restaurant had just opened, most managed to get in.
I checked in and we were seated right away. The buffet was really nice and I asked Chef if he would be able to cook a bowl of plain pasta for DS. (There was a pasta dish on the menu so he was able to do it.) The selection was good with salmon, pasta dishes, salad, cheese and they had a separate station for prime rib of beef. DS was most impressed when he asked if he could have some beef and the chef said Of course you can Sir He told me that no one had ever called him Sir before and he felt very important.
We finished our meal at around half 6 and the restaurant was still not full.We walked up to the international Gateway and although it was busy, they were still letting people in to the park. I have never seen so many people, they had a traffic system where CMs with lighted rope were directing the flow of people. You could walk on one side to go one way and on the other side to go the other way.
There were too many people for DS so when we came to the first accessible area the other side of the UK I showed our Guest Assistance Card, explained about the kids autism and asked if we could stand in this area. The CM asked me if we were on the list it seems each accessible area in Epcot had a list and you needed to put your name on the list to get into the area to watch the fireworks. The list had been in operation since the park opened. I explained that they wouldnt have been able to tolerate this many people all day and we had only just arrived. The CM I spoke to went off to chat with the other CM and it seems that a wheelchair user whos name was down was now not going to be in this area so she kindly let us in. I sat DS and DD down and gave them the Nintendos and a drink, which distracted them enough from the crowds to get through the hour wait until Illuminations.
It was very windy and as the wind was blowing in our direction I knew wed get covered in a lot of smoke (this was probably another reason why we were able to get into this area.) While I waited I look at the crowds and the place was packed, by the time Illuminations started they were about 10 deep at the railings and as this wasnt a great viewing area I dread to think what it was like over the other side of the lake.
I noticed that there was a Dining and Dancing area opened just behind us and asked the CM about it. She said it was called the Carnation room although I cant find any reference to it on the net - And she said it was a very large area, which used to house the Millennium exhibition. She also said it was only opened on Mothers Day and NYE. There were some people in the viewing area that had eaten dinner there. They said it was a buffet and cost $59.99 per adult. They had their dinner when it opened at 4pm and they said the dancing started at 8pm. It seems when they phoned to make an ADR the CMs didnt know about it and had to go off to check. I am guessing that they dont advertise it so that it can be booked by people in the park looking for somewhere to eat.
At 7pm there was a countdown and the Rose and Crown plus all the Brits (and us Irish) erupted into cheers of Happy New Year. We could see the R&C and the CMs did a couple of laps of the dining room cheering. It looked great fun.
It was soon time for Illuminations and they were great as ever. I had a pair of sunglasses and the kids shared these to keep out the smoke. I wasnt sure if we would get to see the extra NYE fireworks and was pleased to see that we did. They were fantastic and well worth seeing. When they were over we decided to go out the front of Epcot and get a bus to VWL so we started to go with the flow. DS said he was hungry so I stopped at the McDs fries hut. We waited about 15 minutes and while we were waiting I noticed that the crowd was now totally bottlenecked and not moving. It was just wall to wall people and there was no way I could take the kids back out into that (not that we could get into it anyway). A CM came through the bushes and I explained about the kids and asked her if there was another way out. She said there wasnt and the crowd was totally ignoring their directions and was now jammed solid. I could see that it was clearer and at least moving back where we came from, so I got the kids to climb over the fence and we walked through the bushes and along the grass for about 50 yards. We then came out through a little gate back near the viewing area. Phew at least there was space to move here. We werent the only ones to do it I looked back and saw a family lift over an elderly member of their group and a child in a buggy. We were able to walk out of the park though the international gateway and as we left I noticed that most of the railing space for the midnight show (some 4 hours away) was already taken.
It was totally manic in Epcot and really scary when we were stuck in the crowds
. I am just thankful that we decided to get the fries otherwise it could have been disastrous for DS and DD if they were stuck and surrounded by all those people and I dread to think what it was like just after the midnight show.We walked back to the BC and there was a MK bus as the stop just as we got there and we got on it. Back at MK we decided to get a WL bus instead of the boat and we were back at the lodge just after half nine. I got a sandwich and took it back to the room for DH and he ate it as he was now feeling better.
We went to bed at half 10 and the MK fireworks woke me at midnight but as we couldnt see them I went back to sleep. Im glad we saw the Epcot fireworks but Id never try and see them again if we had the kids with us.
Weather - hot and sunny shorts and T-shirts
I don't think I would want to be in a park on NYE. So pleased that you got to see the fireworks though.
