Wed started thinking last night about what we really wanted to do on, this, our last full day at WDW, and there was some dissent among the ranks. Since wed already been to all the parks (even if we hadnt done everything in all of them), we asked ourselves what else was a must do before we left for home. DH and DS had definite ideas: #1: they wanted to do Typhoon Lagoon. #2: Disney Quest. Well, DD and I decided that while TL sounded ok, we didnt really have the energy or burning interest to do that over other things (especially since the OKW pool slide was about as much water slide excitement as her little 7-year-old self could take), so once we were awake and ready this morning, it was clear that we were going to want to split up guys to the water park, girls somewhere else for at least the first half of the day.
DD and I decided that what we both really wanted to do was go to Epcot again. DD wanted to go on Spaceship Earth, Mission: Space, and Test Track again; I secretly hoped we could spend some more time in the World Showcase. DH and DS decided to drive us over there, ride TT with us once, and then go back out, get the car, and head over to TL. Amazingly, even though we didnt quite make it to the park at opening, this was the earliest wed gotten to any park other than MK on the day we had the CRT ADR. The parking lot at 9:10 wasnt crowded at all and we pulled into about the 5th or 6th row. The driving angst had subsided almost completely and DH found his way around without any trouble this time, so the day started off peacefully.
We went straight over to TT, though DD tried to detour us into going on Spaceship Earth as we passed it, but DH and DS were in a hurry to get TT done with so they could move on. We were happy to see that there was only a 10-minute wait, so since DH and DS wouldnt be using their tickets anymore that day, DH went over and got 4 FPs for TT for DD and I to use later in the day and we went on. It was fun, again, and once we got out of there we bid farewell to the men and went by ourselves over to MS, where we rode the green side again. For whatever reason (probably because she is, after all, seven) DD wanted to play in those darn kiddie tubes in the post ride area of MS again. Since I was trying to be a mellower captain than DH, I told her she could play for ten minutes and then we needed to get moving. McDonalds has play tubes, too, and maybe wed do that sometime after we went home.
After this, DD and I were eager to head straight over to The Land since we hadnt been able to get back there on our Friday Epcot visit. On our way over, we saw The Jammitors and stopped to hear them play a tune. This is the ONLY picture I took this entire day. For one thing, DD was about photod out, and I was enjoying our placid pace so much that I didnt really even think about taking out the camera except for this one time.
Since we were already going to be over there doing Living with the Land and Circle of Life, we decided to go ahead and get FPs for Soarin even though wed been on that ride a dozen times or more at DCA. Then, we got in line for Living with the Land. The wait said 20 minutes, but it turned out to be more like 25. Wow, I totally did not expect such a big showing for a boat ride through a bunch of plants and seeds (shrubs and trees), but it was a very cool experience, so it was easy to see why people gravitated there. DD was fascinated and declared this one of her favorite rides, which was cool with me since it was educational, too. We noticed the Garden Grill above all the ride scenery and thought wed like to eat there sometime, but it was a little more expensive than what I wanted to dole out for lunch that day. DD wasnt having any issues with the price, however, and I had to talk her down by promising wed eat somewhere else, but that she would be able to make the final decision in the end.
Then we went to watch Circle of Life while we waited for our FP time to come up. Nice little movie in a nice cool theater. I was either emotionally wrung out from vacation exhaustion or Im just prone to these things, but it made me cry in a couple of places. DD learned some big lessons, I think, and afterwards she talked about how the theme of the show was similar to things shes talked about in her 1st grade class last year, so it was another positive educational experience. After this, our Soarin FPs were ready to go and we went down there and waited in a reasonably short line. I had remembered reading on the DISboards someone saying that they liked the queue theming of DCAs Soarin a lot better and I had to agree. But its the ride that really counts and since it is exactly the same as the one in CA, we enjoyed it as much as we always do. In fact, DD and I both confessed to a poignant sense of homesickness afterwards. That was our
home we were flying over, and it seemed so much less every day here in Florida than it sometimes seems when were riding it in CA.
After Soarin we started thinking about lunch and since Id given DD a measure of control over this aspect of the day, I consulted her and she decided we could probably walk through WS again a bit, at least as far as Japan or China, and eat lunch over there, and so we journeyed off in that direction. However, as we passed Canada and the UK, and I remembered that the IG was right there, I thought again about our missed opportunity to go to Beaches and Cream. I had an idea.
Hey, we can definitely go to Japan or China if you really want to, but I was wondering how you feel about having ice cream for lunch instead.
Ice cream? For LUNCH?!?
Sure. Its just us girls with no one to tell us what to do. I dont think theres any problem with being a little naughty today before we have to go back home tomorrow.
Where will we get the ice cream from?
Well, since we didnt get to go to Beaches and Cream while we were at the Boardwalk the other night, I thought we could go there now since its just right across this bridge.
OK! Lets go!
So, as easily as that, DD and I decided to spend our lunch hour at the Beach Club eating ice cream and enjoying beachy ambience.
It was getting really hot by this time, and as dwheatls friend said (in her TR) the walk over the bridge from the IG to the Epcot resorts is about as shadeless as any desert. DD was dragging along and I tried to keep her going by getting her to hop one-by-one to the little bits of shade from the trees at the sides of the path, and also with encouraging words about the ice cream that was just around the bend. The air felt like it was getting muggier by the minute, but we continued on, knowing that inside the BC lobby (which I intended to see without DH hustling me away) would be air conditioned and blessedly cool.
Since we didnt know exactly where Beaches and Cream was in the vast territory of the BC, we wandered the lobby and shops for about 10 minutes before asking someone which way to go. The first person we came in contact with, a luggage concierge at the airline check in desk, acted like shed never heard of Beaches and Cream before. She pointed
and said Ummm
it would have to be that way, because the café is over there. Huh. I wasnt feeling all that confident about her judgment. After all, she didnt appear to know her way around the resort much better than we did. But we did go that direction and eventually, after a few mis-turns, found our goal.
We had hoped to eat inside Beaches and Cream (and I was half-heartedly hoping we could split a hamburger before diving head first into ice cream sin), but by the time we got there, lunch was in full swing and the wait was going to be about 35-40 minutes, so we decided that, despite the heat, wed get a sundae from the to-go side and eat it at one of the tables outside overlooking SAB. Just about the instant we sat down at the table, it started to rain pretty hard, but heck, we didnt care! We were under an umbrella and eating a No Way Jose for LUNCH! It was delicious (though my tooth didnt let me enjoy as much of it as Id have liked), if a huge mess, and I was glad Id brought my Wet Ones because the paper napkins werent doing it. Even the Wet Ones were pretty weak against the mighty stickiness of our sundae, so once we had finished we visited the BC restroom to clean up properly before we moved on and headed back over to Epcot.
Wed actually been walking around quite a bit and my toe was starting to feel it, and also DH had called about a million times to say theyd be back to the resort in an hour or two, so DD and I decided wed have to forego the WS (once again!) and wander back towards FW if we wanted to ride TT again before we left the park. TT was fun again. We shared our seats with a single rider man who got into the car with a very serious attitude and came off grinning madly like a little kid. Even though we had two more FPs, DD decided shed rather have another ride on Spaceship Earth instead, so I handed the FPs to the man (to his delight) and we walked right on to SE. Im glad DD enjoys this ride so much since it, too, is very educational and has prompted a number of discussions about history since weve been home.
Even though she tried to talk me into going on it again, I nixed the idea and we quickly went into the souvenir shop across the way, where I picked up the last postcard I needed for Va-bears youngest DS and then we went out the exit gate. Oopsie! There was the OKW bus pulling right up to the stop! I asked quickly if DD wanted to run for it or wait 15 minutes until the next bus came along and she decided a burst of energy right about then was going to be worth it. We had a peaceful ride back to the villa and got in about 5 minutes after DH and DS had arrived.
We did the standard afternoon rest thing again and I got to read my book some more, but the kids, particularly DS, were antsy to do something exciting before we left and started to fuss about being bored. DS really wanted to go over to Disney Quest and so did DH, but there was an issue. You see, DHs CM pass covers a set of park hoppers for each day, but does not include admission to the water parks or Disney Quest
not even a discount! So, since they had wanted to do TL so badly earlier, DH busted out his wallet and went ahead and spent the $70+ it took to make this happen (and this was another reason why DD and I decided to do something else less expensive). Well, even though DS really wanted to go over to Disney Quest, I was not feeling the money love as far as having to pay cash for another set of tickets. DH, while he felt strongly that he really did want to go, felt even more strongly that he didnt want to blow that kind of cash in one day, so the idea was reluctantly vetoed (my to DSs disgruntlement, but, hey pal
get a job!).
Dinnertime came and we didnt want to go out to eat (wed had an ADR at Ohana, but that just sounded like way too much work
we were exhausted
so we cancelled that) and the guys went on a fast food run. In actuality, they found a little Mexican restaurant and ordered some food to go and brought it back to the villa. The fook was ok. Florida authentic Mexican food is kind of funny if youre used to So Cal authentic Mexican food. We all agreed to hereafter avoid Mexican places that actually say on the sign that its authentic because if they have to say it, its probably not.
We were too worn out to go to a park for the evening, so decided that instead of sitting around moping and bored, wed go to the OKW pool and game room again. DS and DH had a darts competition going and DD wanted to play some more air hockey (which I got stuck doing). So, we swam and then played games on our last night at WDW.
While at the pool, I finished up my book and enjoyed the almost-full moon in a clear sky over the OKW pool and sandcastle slide one last time. DH had initially stayed behind for awhile at the villa because he had water in his ear that was bugging him, but eventually he wandered over to the pool, too, at which point I made him break out his CM ID to buy me an
OKW zip-up sweatshirt
and a new paperback for the flight home. Then we spent about 45 minutes in the game room and, exhausted, went back to the villa to
start packing some things that wouldnt be needed in the morning. We got to bed and I slept nine full hours that night (finally!). Unfortunately, our flight was at 1:17 p.m. the next day, so there would be no time to do anything, really, but pack up and get on the road.
Next up:
The End: The Next People and Home Sweet Home
Great installment. I got the same Pooh shirt you got, but we bought the shirt instead of the tank--loved it. Aww, your dd is so sweet. I loved the picture of the kids playing the bongos together-- see they do have common interests after all! How cool that your lgmh worked himself into another picture so he could say "what up" to his PEEPS! 
You do deserve a lgmhed medal for not only dealing with Toetoe, but tooth problems too! 
Poeple are also always commenting on DD's mature way of speaking...guess where she gets all those big words from. 
)
. Oh well, I'll be waiting on that next part. Great work!!!!!
