Tongue Tied and Twisted at the DIS Unplugged Mega Meet - 9/24 Final Update***

[TiggerTrigger]

Well, I was kind of hoping I'd finish this little report before life got too crazy, but it looks like that's not going to happen. We had 6 different teacher orientations this week, 4 softball practices, we've had we both work full time, and my busiest season officially starts Monday...yet I also get to go into the office for a while tomorrow and will probably log in from home tonight. Yay me.

OK...enough with the not so magical stuff. Back to the report!

Day 5 continued...

So, I pause for a moment because it's a lot to take in. All of these people...all people from the boards...people who watch the podcast shows...people I may chat with on the boards and/or the chatterati during the live shows. It was overwhelming. And then someone wanted to talk to us. And this is where my not wanting to stare at people's chests to get their name/boards name became an issue. She was so sweet...telling us about some of the events she'd done (scavenger hunt comes to mind)...even gave us Mega Meet magic band skins, but I was seriously overwhelmed. So, to anyone who met me on the 25th...I'm sorry. I can probably tell you some of what we discussed, but my brain was in la-la land.

Quick side note on magic band skins. I remembered Pete talking about Magic Your Band, so I ordered skins before our trip. Our initial shipment didn't arrive, so they got us new ones in the mail right away. Not only did they send us new ones, they sent us doubles and an extra random plaid one on top of that. Great service and I think the bands looked great.

OK...back on track. We waited on the bottom level for a little bit before being allowed upstairs. I think it was @bamacmac who showed in her report that Pete briefly came out from the upper level to pump up the crowd, but I think we arrived after this happened. It was only a few minutes before they let us go upstairs to wait outside of those theater doors...and I just took pics as we waited.

When they let us in, pretty much everyone was going towards seats in the center section. We opted to head to the section just to the right of center and sat front row. Yeah- it was off on an angle a bit, but still a great view. David thought we should sit a few rows up since we'd be eye to foot level with everyone on stage, but I was happy. He'd later prove to be right...since there were parts of certain things on the screen that I couldn't see. Still, we were sitting next to a really nice woman from Louisiana, so we were good.

I started taking pics of the theater and the stage set up. I even posted one to Facebook (flatties and all), but the post fell flat...literally. Most of my friends know I'm more than just a casual Disney fan, but I don't think they grasped the concept of going to something like this...even with the charity factor.

I also loved the theater and started having some Vegas flashbacks to seeing Cirque du Soliel's Mystere.

Then I realized that the "production nook" for the show was happening right behind the bottom center section...and it all became VERY VERY real. Oliver, Ryno and Craig were up there getting everything ready. I wasn't at a good angle to take a picture, but I saw Jackie off to the side greeting people on their way in. I'm guessing she was probably there when we passed through, but things were very congested at that point and I couldn't see too much. Hence how I also missed the "Craig and the Nookettes" on the way in.

We had some time before the show started, but they were showing old and newer DIS Unplugged videos that kept everyone entertained. It was good for David to see this too because he still didn't fully understand why I wanted to attend and why I was so gung-ho on going on my own. The going on my own was to spare some of the home budget to prep for moving, but there's also the enjoyment and entertainment factor. Back in the spring, I finally convinced him after I showed him the episode with the 40+ references to Voodoo Sticky Pig Wings. Ultimately, the videos of the guys on Mater's Junkyard Jamboree at DL and the various Bob Varley segments made him get it. Not sure which Bob segment did it, but I caught him laughing out loud several times..and then I had to break the news about Bob.

It's all kind of a blur to me now, so I may have the order of things backwards, but I think they showed the big intro video first and then Pete came out...

I think I actually teared up a little bit.

Then the rest of the team came out...

And it was show time! Actually, one of the most moving parts of the show was a video featuring some of the podcast listeners. I know some of it has been cut from what's on YouTube, but so much of that video spoke to me...confirmed why I love the show, why there are so many people I enjoy chatting with that also watch the show, and so on.

On one hand, I wanted to take more pictures, but this was the #1 thing prompting this trip and sitting with my camera in front of my face all show is kind of wasting the experience. Ultimately, it was just so cool to catch a live show and beyond surreal.

I know we casually chatted with some other listeners on the way out after the show was over as well as a few ladies in the bathroom after that, but again...I wasn't staring at people's chests for their lanyard information...so again, no names. At least we'd be attending the dessert party later on, so hopefully we'd meet some more people.

Crazy, but I wanted to change out of my tie dye into a black sundress so I could feel more "date-like" for the rest of the day. I also remember standing there thinking...I can't believe this big part of the trip has come and gone. I probably would have focused more on this had I not been hungry. That breakfast on the go I mentioned earlier was actually just for the kids, so all I'd eaten for the day was that Mickey ice cream. I guess it was around 1:30pm (give or take) at this point, so finding food was the big priority.

We headed off into Disney Springs...

(lookin' good, but not quite what we wanted)

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I had seen someone in my Facebook group recently had lunch at Art Smith's Homecoming. The deviled eggs and macaroni looked good and I was looking for something where could make a meal out of appetizers, so we went in search of the restaurant. David wound up asking directions from a security guard we passed over by Raglan Road. Yes, men do ask for directions.

Things were looking pretty quiet inside, but we asked to sit at the bar. It may not sound like the most romantic date day to sit at the bar, but we've always loved sitting at the bar and chatting it up with the bartenders/bar wait staff.

We had the deviled eggs, the shrimp jubilee, the hush puppies, and the mac & cheese.

1. Deviled Eggs

I liked, but did not love them. The bacon is a nice touch, but deviled eggs are tricky since they are usually family recipes and if theyre not like your family's...well, it's a miss. They didn't have green olives...David's #1 pet peeve in deviled eggs, but no relish and very mild seasoning. It reminded me more of the flavor of basic egg salad...which I love, but it's not the flavors I'm used to in a deviled egg.

2. Shrimp Jubilee

The girl at the bar said it and she wasn't kidding...you add some vodka to this thing and it makes one heck of a bloody Mary! It was tasty and the crisps with it are a nice touch. It's not one of the menu items getting much attention, but it's worth ordering.

3. Hush Puppies

I'm not really sure why I ordered these. They get rave reviews, but a. I don't like cornbread b. i don't like pimento cheese. Still, you never know when someone may make something that changes your opinion. I couldn't even taste the pimento cheese, so I can't even tell @KingLlama if they use good stuff. Ultimately, they were OK...but I can't give a fair review the noted reasons.I didn't even finish them.

4. Macaroni and Cheese

I consider myself a mac & cheese expert, both in taste and personal prep abilities. I don't like it when people try to elevate it too much nor do I like when it's dumbed down. It's about good pasta cooked right, the proper cheese blend, salt, and a good homemade base sauce started from a roux. And while I get that baked mac is usually a casserole dish and is often frozen/reheated, it loses a lot after its initial heating...to the point that I keep shredded cheese and extra sauce on hand to refresh reheated baked mac + there's almost always a need to re-salt. The point of this tale...Homecoming's mac is probably good right after its initial baking, but it screams of baked mac made in advance and reheated. Awful...no, but it reminded me of my macaroni when I heat up leftovers before its been refreshed.

I did take pics of a number of the fresh garnishes they had for drinks at the bar. Really pretty stuff.

Also, no matter what we thought of the food...which really wasn't bad (just not WOW), was that the service was superb. I could have sat at that bar for another hour. In fact, there were other DISers in there with us...2 smaller tables and one big one, but we were done and we had places we wanted to go, so we headed out. Not that I wanted to invade while people were eating their meals, but we had one more DIS event for that night...so I figured we'd have a little more time later on to hang out with DIS people.

So, we walk through Disney Springs.

I wanted to go into WoD, but the CoOp was my key destination. David was itching to get to Epcot and hit countries we didn't go to the other day, so I opted for the CoOp...specifically, Cherry Tree Lane. Why? Dooney.

Yes, I know my mother brought me one, but the IASW themed bags were released on July 23rd. It was tempting to skip out on MK and go to the release event in DS, but a morning in MK with family vs. a bag event...well, I'm sure most people would agree that I made the right choice in taking my chances that the bags would still be there two days later. i.e. MK with family is much more important. Still, if you follow any of the bag drama, some bags sell out immediately and go for crazy prices on ebay. I checked with one of my Disney Dooney Facebook groups and a girl confirmed there were still plenty of bags as of the morning of the 25th...so bag shopping was a must. I mean, this was the bag I've wanted to since early December. I passed up perfect placement Disneyland 60th bags for this.

When we got there, I pulled out a bunch of the totes and David told me to hurry it up. NONE and I mean NONE of the totes made me happy. I didn't love the style in person and none of them had good face placement. I didn't want a pouchette because those are just too small and none of the wallets had even a hint of the face. So, I got this wristlet. It was the best thing they had and it was also the kindest to my wallet (especially after discounts and Disney Visa rewards).

I was really tempted to buy another bag, but there just wasn't enough love for anything else I saw in there. I also wanted to head out because there was another patron starting to get really upset over an issue with the new Dooney magic bands. Her husband bought her one as a gift not knowing she bought herself the same one as a treat. There are no refunds or exchanges on magic bands, so she was stuck...and not happy.

We made our way out and trekked back to the bus area. We've never had much luck with DTD/DS buses, but we wanted to go to Epcot and there was a BW bus right there. So, we took it and headed to BW...

**Coming up...Adventures in Epcot

 

[SorcererHeidi]

Continuing to love your trip report, thanx for taking the time. Can't believe's it's "so long ago" now!

 

[ariane37]

Love the wristlet! I have recently read a couple really good reviews of Art Smiths, but the deviled eggs was one thing that someone said weren't that good. I kind of want to give it a try but the menu doesn't interest DH. Glad you at least had good service, and now it's another place you can say you've tried!

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Continuing to love your trip report, thanx for taking the time. Can't believe's it's "so long ago" now!

Yeah, time is just flying by! The trip was recent enough that I can't really say I "need" a vacation right now, but far enough away and stressful enough at work, etc. that I really wish I had something on the horizon.

Love the wristlet! I have recently read a couple really good reviews of Art Smiths, but the deviled eggs was one thing that someone said weren't that good. I kind of want to give it a try but the menu doesn't interest DH. Glad you at least had good service, and now it's another place you can say you've tried!

Thanks! It's now my official checkbook holder. It's not that Homecoming was bad, it just wasn't amazing. Art Smith has received a lot of attention on Food Network and other culinary sources, so that automatically puts expectations a bit higher than average. We also didn't have his signature dish...fried chicken...so that could make a huge difference. There's also a cake on the dessert menu that's getting raves and we saved those calories for things later on.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Day 5 continued...

So, we were walking through BW...We walked by still-under-construction Flying Fish on the way out.

I am still mourning the loss of the potato crusted snapper over leek fondue. That has to be one of the best things I've ever eaten at WDW. I know FF recently got rave reviews from the team, but I want to hear more about the true seafood items before I decide to return.

We passed by Ample Hills, and after making a few jokes about the name and wishing we could have gone to some of the DIS events there, we worked our way into Epcot via the IG...

We played around in the UK shops for a bit...

...and then it was drink time.

It was standing room only in there...but just as I was thinking we might want to sit, a couple motioned to us and asked us if we wanted their seats and table. Nice! I have no idea what David ordered. It clearly was not exciting enough to be photographed, but I had a Welsh Dragon...and I LOVED it!

 

[TiggerTrigger]

We didn't want to sit for too long, so we headed out and went towards France.

I'm not sure what was going on, but there were a bunch of service dog poodles hanging out in France.

And then it was time for our favorite World Showcase country....MOROCCO!

I think it's the most beautifully detailed country and you can really feel like you're escaping the crowds and chaos of the park in some of the back areas in there.

**Sorry...I really LOVE Morocco!

It also helps that Morocco was one of the places my maternal grandparents visited when I was a kid. They came back with all kinds of goodies, for us and their home. Some of the bigger pieces like the hassocks (aka ottomans), tables, and lamps seem to have sister and cousin pieces in the Epcot Morocco shops.

David mistakenly asked one of the girls in the shop to explain the empty hassocks to him. I tried telling him, but he needed to see it. He was really tempted to buy one, but I told him we should wait until after we move. I mean, I would love an area of the home to have Moroccan themes, but not before the move. Oh well, he got a Tangerine cocktail at Tangerine cafe...I took a pic of my "old" beloved 40th Dooney with my new Dooney piece...

It was time to move on...next up- Japan!

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I have yet to sink any $ into it, but I really enjoy watching the whole pick a pearl process...

I was also mesmerized with the kimonos this time around.

And I think Kendall would LOVE these.

Sammie would have also gone gaga over all of the pop-culture gaming stuff in there...from this artsy exhibit in the back/side to the Pokemon stuff up front.

I swear- it never fails- we're without the kids for a few hours and the trip suddenly shifts back to what the kids would like if they were with us. LOL

We headed out and up as I think the gardens in Japan are gorgeous.

I also lost my souvenir cup from my Welsh Dragon around this point. Oh well...we at least met a very curious squirrel that entertained us for a few minutes.

Time to head out of Japan...

Still not sure how I feel about that pic above. Part of me wants SSE centered and part of me likes how it falls with the trees.

Oh look what we found as we head back to Morocco...

Actually, this is our dinner destination. We were a little early, but we were at Spice Road Table.


**Coming up...dinner, why aren't they setting up, why are they in such a rush, and Oh...that's why!

 

[SorcererHeidi]

Loving your photography! And I always find the squirrels at Disney so "interactive" and curious! Guess it's 'cause they're used to handouts from everybody, which I will NOT do, for any of the wildlife, don't want to encourage bad behavior. But they are cute to watch! Yeah - wonder what the heck was going on with the poodles in France, and the "dressed up people" with them? And I know that while I've seen poodles as "companion animals", I just never think of them that way - there's other/better breeds for that (to me), except the standard poodle's size is nice.

 

[Terra Nova guy]

I'm finally caught up on your TR. I noticed you had done one while I was reading Phil's about the Mega Meet, so I had to see how your experience was. I completely understand about being tongue tied around the podcast team. I was fortunate to attend the Nova Scotia DIS meet last summer and I met Pete, Teresa, Kathy and Dustin. I was so nervous meeting them and I especially rambled when I talked to Pete, to the point where I said the same thing three times.

I think it's the most beautifully detailed country and you can really feel like you're escaping the crowds and chaos of the park in some of the back areas in there.

Morocco is one of my favourites too! I don't often hear people say that. I love the room in the back with the fountain. There's almost never anyone in there and it's cool and refreshing.

Sammie would have also gone gaga over all of the pop-culture gaming stuff in there...

I am only slightly ashamed to admit that I have avoided going in to the Japan store so that my DD9 would not see all the pop culture stuff in there! No matter what limit I tried to put on her, I know she would be begging for more!

 

[ariane37]

Enjoyed all your pictures from around WS and I also think Morocco is just about the prettiest, and most intricately detailed, of all the countries. I think it's a shame most people don't seem to realize what all is "hiding" back there to be explored!

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Loving your photography! And I always find the squirrels at Disney so "interactive" and curious! Guess it's 'cause they're used to handouts from everybody, which I will NOT do, for any of the wildlife, don't want to encourage bad behavior. But they are cute to watch! Yeah - wonder what the heck was going on with the poodles in France, and the "dressed up people" with them? And I know that while I've seen poodles as "companion animals", I just never think of them that way - there's other/better breeds for that (to me), except the standard poodle's size is nice.

Thank you! I keep thinking about upgrading my camera, but she still does a great job on so many things that it's hard to justify the cost of something new.

Yeah, I suspect a number of people feed the squirrels, but they're also very opportunistic little creatures. We were hanging out outside at the Mexico pavilion in 2014 and we watched one very resourceful squirrel go stroller by stroller, helping himself to all of the toddler snacks he could find in trays and partially opened diaper bags.

The poodles were just very odd. I could see a standard poodle doing service work since they're just retrievers with a nice haircut, but I guess the smaller ones are service companion dogs? Maybe? Still, I've never seen a dog gathering in Epcot...of any sort.

I'm finally caught up on your TR. I noticed you had done one while I was reading Phil's about the Mega Meet, so I had to see how your experience was. I completely understand about being tongue tied around the podcast team. I was fortunate to attend the Nova Scotia DIS meet last summer and I met Pete, Teresa, Kathy and Dustin. I was so nervous meeting them and I especially rambled when I talked to Pete, to the point where I said the same thing three times.


Morocco is one of my favourites too! I don't often hear people say that. I love the room in the back with the fountain. There's almost never anyone in there and it's cool and refreshing.


I am only slightly ashamed to admit that I have avoided going in to the Japan store so that my DD9 would not see all the pop culture stuff in there! No matter what limit I tried to put on her, I know she would be begging for more!

It makes me feel a lot better to know others have been equally tongue tied. Still, very cool that you got to meet all of them at the Nova Scotia meet...especially Dustin. Not that I don't love the rest of the team, but I miss Dustin.

Yes! It's so strange how nobody really goes back in Morocco like they do in other countries. We were there during a busier F&W weekend a few years ago and there were always quiet places to sit and snack. We have this one little table that we like, sort of tucked away, and there's almost never anyone there.

I know the feeling with Japan. I told Samantha about the Charizard Pokemon hat I'd seen back there, and it just happened to be the hat Ryno used for his MNSSHP costume. After showing her the video, she said she'll be doing all of her souvenir shopping in Japan next time around.

Enjoyed all your pictures from around WS and I also think Morocco is just about the prettiest, and most intricately detailed, of all the countries. I think it's a shame most people don't seem to realize what all is "hiding" back there to be explored!

In some ways I'm happy that Morocco doesn't get the love from the masses. It makes it sort of an oasis in the middle of the chaos. I think some of it is that a lot of people are afraid of the food. Mind you, my very first WS dining experience in 1985 was Marrakesh and I didn't love it, but I was also a kid and things have changed quite a bit since then. Now, it's a fave on so many levels.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Wow...it's been a long week, but I'm going to try and keep this going and hopefully can get in a decent update before taking the girls to pitching lessons.

Day 5- continued...

When I left off, we had just arrived at Spice Road Table. We were all over the place on where to dine tonight. At one point we were torn between Citrico's and Jiko, but decided we wanted to go more casual. So, I thought maybe we'd try Skipper Canteen in MK...and then the Mega Meet dessert party was added to the schedule of events. That would mean booking dinner in or near Epcot. I was on the fence about doing it because I really wanted to see Wishes and was thinking we might be able to get into Trader Sam's (instead of this time we'd been spending in the WS), but David really liked the idea of more time in Epcot...so, I went with that at started losing my mind over ADRs. In the end, I went with Spice Road Table because the most appealing items on their menu to me were the appetizers and I suspected (kind of like what we did at Art Smith's) that this would be a day of appetizers.

I know we showed up for the ADR early. I couldn't find anything for the exact time we wanted...either too early or too late. So, I booked the earliest 'too late' and hoped they'd seat us for the time I'd been unable to snag. Sure enough, there wasn't much of a crowd and they seated us right away. I was nervous because I'd read a few horror stories about attitudes and bad issues with seating, but we had none of that. I mean, maybe it's just because we didn't have any special table requests regarding views or intentions to camp out for Illuminations. Either way, it was seamless.

First off...the restaurant is GORGEOUS!

I want the tables they have in here!

I can also see how this has become a popular spot for Illuminations.

Our server was so friendly and chatty. He also accidentally put in an extra appetizer in our order, but didn't charge us for it...yet insisted we eat it. With the extra appetizer, we wound up having the calamari (what he brought us by mistake), the hummus fries, the harissa chicken rolls, the brie fondue, and the Moroccan lamb sausage.

The hummus fries were heavier than I expected them to be. I liked them, but definitely couldn't eat too many. David hates hummus, so I knew he wouldn't care for them. The calamari was very tasty and were pretty happy they made that mistake. And while I loved the sausage, the big hit for me was the brie fondue. Let's be honest...I love cheese. LOVE! `Sure, it had the croutons and the garnish on top, but they essentially handed me a little dish of cheese and I was a happy girl.

We could also see the Terrace des Fleurs from our table...the site of the dessert party...and there was nothing going on there. Surprising. I kind of figured we'd be able to see them setting up, but it's Disney and things can magically come together. So, I thought maybe they didn't require much prep time.

We also took a selfie during the meal. Hey...enjoying our kid free night!

The meal was great, but it was time to get moving. We headed out and I got a Sultan's Colada before we started walking. I've always wanted to try one. It's sweet, but I liked it.

The sky was also incredible...so I took a few pics just highlighting the clouds and light.

David wasn't up for another cocktail in Morocco, so we went back to the UK and he got a Leaping Leprechaun.

(the walk)

It wasn't bad, but we liked my Welsh Dragon better.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

On our way from the UK to France I also spotted some familiar faces. Tom Bell, Oliver and Pete were heading towards us (may have had others with them). They were moving fast and looked very serious, but Oliver clearly spotted that I'd recognized them (I also had put my credentials back on)...and I got a big smile and a wave. Pete had eyes straight ahead, but gave a wave after he realized Oliver was waving. I wondered where they were heading and why they were in such a hurry, but figured it must have been more official business.

We also didn't see anything going in for the dessert party in France, but there was now a CM standing out there. I guess we just assumed she'd be letting people in when it was time. On our way back, we even saw what appeared to be a queue forming, so we figured we'd hang out in France for a bit. This isn't a country where we normally spend much time, but we had the time- or so I thought.

So, we explore and I casually take pics...

(telling time the old school way)

(vs. modern time)

It was getting late and after directing a nice family to the frozen drinks in France, we decided to head over to the terrace. By now, there should have been people and things should have been set up...but no people and no nothing. Just that one CM standing there. She broke the bad news that with the chance of rain in the forecast, they'd moved the dessert party to the Odyssey. Now, I heard that some people got notifications about the change of venue, but we didn't. We saw something from Kevin after the fact (like next day)...can't remember if it was on Twitter or the boards, but I don't regularly check these things when I'm on the go, so we were totally in the dark and left to rush to the Odyssey.

We were grossly sweaty by the time we got there and were probably the last people to arrive. I mean, I knew we'd be running later, but seriously...last people late. We were given dual glow necklaces to wear and John was right up there at the front with big smiles, but when we looked in, pretty much every table was taken and people were already engrossed in conversations. I could see several team members, but there were only a few tables in the back. I thought about some of the random spots at a few of the standing tables, but David was tired and wanted to sit...so we made our way to the back and sat. We joined a nice woman from Ohio.

I went up to grab some desserts and had a really surreal moment. I was getting a drink and then heard a very familiar voice behind me...to the point where I whipped my head around. It was Craig! But again, he was in conversation, so I got some desserts and headed back to the table. On my way back, I saw that @WebmasterJackie was sitting right near us. And this will show just how tongue tied and awkward I was in all of this. I think I managed to eek out something like "you're Jackie!" and in typical bubbly Jackie fashion, she said hi. And that was all I could muster. Maybe next time I won't be so socially awkward.
I didn't really take any pics at the party beyond a random pic of my desserts. And it wasn't even a good pic!

I kept scanning the room because I knew @bamacmac was supposed to be there, but I didn't spot her while we were seated. We were all given the option of heading back to France to watch Illuminations from the private area initially secured for the party. And since it never rained and that location played into our plans for the rest of the night, we wanted to get back there asap. Of course, on our way out, I spotted @bamacmac and got in a quick hi and a hug...as well as apologizing for how sweaty and gross I was. So big yay for getting to meet another member from the boards/chat!

As we started power walking back over to France...and feeling even more gross...I also started to notice some discomfort in my left foot. I was in a pair of Clark's walking sandals that came highly recommended, and while I'd had some shin pain from them earlier in the trip, I think I was starting to push my limits with them. While I'd be in a pair of distance joggers in a cold weather trip, summer trips always mean sandals since it helps keep me cooler. Not sure which would have been better since my feet were showing bad signs. Still, we had to motor on. We got to the terrace...were handed some glasses which would turn out to be one of the coolest souvenirs of the trip...and found a spot. We chatted with a few people out there...no clue who since it was too dark to read anyone's names...but more nice DISers. We also saw Pete show up, but he was rushing around and did not look happy. We didn't know what was happening at the time, but would later find out about his mom falling ill during the event. Sooooo glad to hear she was OK.

So, my fireworks pics are always hit or miss. I took some amazing Illuminations pics in 2014, but I was just too tired and mentally fried at this point, so the few decent pics I got were nothing spectacular.

Now, these are not my pics so to speak...just images I froze and snipped from someone's videos...but those glasses they gave us when we arrived at the terrace...this is what they did!

I can't begin to tell you how cool these things are. I sometimes wear them around the house and look at the ceiling fan lights for Mickey.

Now here's where we could have relaxed and met people, but this was my vacation and I had some goals to make it complete. Not that meeting more people wouldn't have been great...but we all have our Disney musts...and my musts required us to run- LITERALLY- to get to MK.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

We said a few quick good-byes and bolted...power walking to the IG. Goal...get to BC and get a bus to MK...which was open for a couple more hours.

Bigger goal...make it in time for Wishes at 10pm. Illuminations was at 9pm and I'd never tried to see both in one night. We actually saw 3 shows in one night since we saw some of the DHS Star Wars fireworks from the bus. Oh well, we at least didn't have to wait long for a bus and we made it to MK with about 10 min to spare. My foot was in a lot of pain now and I was limping, but I was still powering on and the CM guiding people from the buses cutely told us we were absolutely glowing (the necklaces we got at the party). We got into MK and found ourselves a spot in the crowds watching Celebrate the Magic.

Definitely some crowds around us, but not horrible either.

It was almost Wishes time!!!

Not a bad spot for showing up just a few minutes before the show.

***Coming up...Wishes, going against the crowds, a series of injuries and good-byes, and who's been sleeping in your bed?

 

[JJZMgailey]

On my way back, I saw that @WebmasterJackie was sitting right near us. And this will show just how tongue tied and awkward I was in all of this. I think I managed to eek out something like "you're Jackie!" and in typical bubbly Jackie fashion, she said hi. And that was all I could muster. Maybe next time I won't be so socially awkward.

You were not awkward in any way! I'm so excited that you said hello to me when you saw me!!

I'm loving your trip report and all of your great pics!

 

[TiggerTrigger]

You were not awkward in any way! I'm so excited that you said hello to me when you saw me!!

I'm loving your trip report and all of your great pics!

Thanks Jackie

 

[TiggerTrigger]

OK, one last post for the weekend. The goal is to finish up by next weekend so that I'm done before work goes from 'crazy' to 'I'm losing my mind.'

Wrapping up Day 5...

Yes, Wishes is my must. I can only think of one trip where my must was denied, and that was the car accident trip. Needless to say, I was happy to make it to MK for one of my mega faves.

My Wishes pics turned out little bit better than the ones of Illuminations...minus the lamppost to my right that made its way into a lot of shots. It was also tough since the lights in this section don't dim or go out, so I had a lot more light in my shots that made for some issues with me adjusting settings. Oh well...here are some of the better ones.

I adore Wishes...like tear up at least 3 or 4 times -adore...so, I was just thrilled to get to see it...and happy the people who were right in front of me left before it started. It was bizarre! They stayed for Celebrate the Magic, but the mom and kids started going on about beating the crowds...so they booked it out of the park after that. Yes, I will gladly take your spot! David had run to the restroom and to grab a soda...and in the crowds, he had a hard time finding me. So, while I would have liked him there, I also enjoyed just having the moments to myself.

So, the show ended and I think I was still in shock that we made it in time, but now what? We could see the crush of people heading towards us to exit the park...so we decide to go against the flow and try and make our way in. I thought about going through the shops (a strategy we'd utilize later on the way out), but it didn't look any better in there. We were on the sidewalk around Casey's when I heard some guy pushing a stroller saying we had the better idea. We laughed and pushed on. I was really starting to notice the pain in my foot, but there was no turning back now. We decided to head for Adventureland and got hung up for a bit by Crystal Palace. Someone had the bright idea of pushing a custodial rolling dumpster through this area at this time...so it really took some time and people were frustrated on both sides. Still, it was smooth sailing after that. The park just gets so quiet after Wishes.

I'm not sure why, but when given the choice of things to do, I picked POTC. It was pretty much walk on. We also got lucky and the ride slowed or stopped a few times, so I was able to get some better pics. The only thing I noticed was that the mermaids were never working during this trip. Not sure if this is an ongoing issue or a temporary thing. Or were they removed? I can never remember these kinds of stories and rumors.

So, I thoroughly enjoyed POTC as usual. I usually put it as my #2 fave attraction, so it's a nice way to start winding down our park time. Upon exiting, David was pushing to go to BTMRR and that's when the pain in my foot and to a lesser degree, my other foot, started to win. I gave up...I told him I couldn't make it. We'd been walking full steam since the early morning, and according to my Garmin GPS watch, we'd gone over 16.5 mi for the day at this point. So, we headed back to MSUSA so that he could go to the restroom before leaving.

I decided to sit down in a taped area...just right on the ground. There were light crowds for the 11pm MSEP and it was nearly 11, so I was hoping David would be game for relaxing for a minute to catch at least a little of the parade...but before I got too caught up in this idea...I wanted to check out my feet...and it wasn't pretty.

1. I had a massive ultra thick blister taking up nearly the entire ball of my left foot.
2. I had a large blister on one of the toes of my right foot.
3. Something unexpected that I didn't even feel...

Yes, those are parallel gashes in my shin. I was in so much pain from the blister that I didn't even feel this. I know it happened at some point in MK, because it definitely wasn't there on the bus over, but seriously- no pain. All of the adrenaline from walking and the excitement of the day also probably helped mask the pain. Back in 2014 and 2015, I was doing a lot of distance walking and I could be 8 or 9 miles in and not realize that my feet were bleeding from friction issues. This had that same surprise factor.

We still have no idea how this happened, but we suspect someone caught my shin with a stroller foot rest as we were heading in after Wishes. And while we first thought they might be just scratches, they were actually pretty deep. Not stitches deep, but it's been almost 2 months since this happened and you can still clearly see the marks on my leg. We suspect I will have a scar from it. Yup- not a souvenir I wanted. All I know is that when it did start hurting (on the drive home) it was a stinging throbbing mess. I at least travel with Mupirocin (prescription level antibiotic ointment).

So now I'm feeling really injured, but MSEP is about to start. The synth voice intro is another one of my major Disney faves. It took me a moment, but logic set in that I could record this on my phone. You can also hear David come back and tell me we really should get going. It kind of ruined the moment for me since I was getting all of the good vibes from the intro, but at least I got to see/hear it.

And yes, we got to stay and see the drum...and I was happy.

...and say good-bye to the Big Cheese.

I had no idea this would be my farewell to MSEP. I don't want to rehash the whole MSEP vs. Spectro business. I've just always been an MSEP person and they made the switch to MSEP shortly before my girls' first visit to WDW in 2010, so they're main nighttime parade has also been MSEP. Of course, after seeing Paint the Night at DL back in December, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing that come east. I know those rumors have been squashed for the most part, but it would be cool...very cool.

And then I limped out. I'm really not sure how I made it, but we got to the PORS bus area...and there was a bus there. The bus was pretty full and there was nobody else in the queue when we got there, so I couldn't figure out why he was waiting. I mean, it was this way before you could really tell which resort we were going for, but the driver said he could see me limping and wanted to wait in case it was his bus we needed. Disney magic comes in a lot of forms.

We got back to PORS and I was incredibly thankful to have a room that wasn't too far from a bus stop. So, it was a short limping session to the door. And then we entered our room with a bit of Goldilocks moment.

So, after a long day in the parks, you expect to come back to a room that's been refreshed by Mousekeeping...right? Well, the decorative runner on one of the beds looked like someone had sat on it and didn't straighten it out. I brushed it off and went into the bathroom...to find what I initially thought to be a half done towel sculpture. It looked like an elephant from one end, but like they just gave up after that. Then I looked into the bathtub and it looked like the partially used shampoo and conditioner bottles from the previous day were in there. So, I'm thinking...who's been messing with my bed, towels and toiletries? David was wondering the same thing. I mean, it was so bizarre!

And then we both saw it...(sorry, no pic)...a pile of wet bathing suits and dirty tie dye shirts (among other things) that were hiding next to the sink.

Yes, with the power of Magic Bands and my parents' room being next to ours...the kids had come back to the room (at least 3x), got ready for the pool, got changed up for dinner/Epcot and gotten ready for bed in our room before getting into bed in my parents' room. I know some kids hit a room like a tornado, so I guess I should be thankful that the girls were pretty tidy. I do have to hand it to them though...that towel that was haphazardly placed on the edge of the tub could show some raw talent for towel sculpting. LOL

We got a good laugh over things with the kids and the room, I treated my injury, did some packing, and passed out for the night. The next day would be a busy day.



***Coming up- Day 6...checking out, getting twisted Poly style, cake for breakfast, the farewell tour, and the long road home.

 

[ariane37]

Ugh, your foot and leg I hope you don't end up with a scar but yeah sounds like you will unfortunately. So far on all our trips I've been lucky foot-pain waise (knock on wood) so I stick to the brands/styles of shoes I know work for me even when I want to try something new.
I love the Wishes fireworks shots but I think your Illuminations ones came out pretty good, too!
I'm another one who loves MSEP, and sadly even though I totally meant to see it one more time last month - I forgot. I could kick myself, and I actually teared up on our last night when we got back to the resort and I realized we'd never watched it. I listen to Baroque Hoedown often lol, I know many people get as annoyed with that as they do with the IASW song

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Ugh, your foot and leg I hope you don't end up with a scar but yeah sounds like you will unfortunately. So far on all our trips I've been lucky foot-pain waise (knock on wood) so I stick to the brands/styles of shoes I know work for me even when I want to try something new.
I love the Wishes fireworks shots but I think your Illuminations ones came out pretty good, too!
I'm another one who loves MSEP, and sadly even though I totally meant to see it one more time last month - I forgot. I could kick myself, and I actually teared up on our last night when we got back to the resort and I realized we'd never watched it. I listen to Baroque Hoedown often lol, I know many people get as annoyed with that as they do with the IASW song

Yeah...we're almost 2 months since this happened...so, I'm thinking this isn't going away.

What's funny with the shoes...I've never had major blisters from a WDW trip before this. Of course, Skechers isn't making the sandals I wore during our last few warm weather trips, so I was trying new footwear. My joggers are the best thing, but I get so hot wearing full shoes with socks all day.

Thanks! I double back and look at fireworks pics from previous trips, so I'm usually critical if they weren't at that same level. Example, this is one of my fave Illuminations pic I've ever taken...

...but there were no distractions, no pain, I wasn't in a hurry and had plenty of time to test out taking pics in this area before it started. Makes a huge difference and seems to be the main factor in all of my fave fireworks pics.

Baroque Hoedown used to be my ringtone when I had an Android. I can't figure out how to do this on an iPhone. I know you can, and maybe one day I'll have the time to figure it out. LOL. It's too bad that you forgot to schedule it in, but it happens. I know people who had similar stories last year with Osborne Lights. Love it, but for whatever reason, working it in slipped their mind.