Thanks for your posts, great to read....
You're not doing too badly for 'probably not a trip report'...
Ali
Well, I wasn't too sure I had anything to write but as I love reading everybody else's so much and I wanted to answer some of the geek questions so that people can search for the answers in future I just keep coming back!
Yesterday was an absolutely packed day.
We had a reservation for Teppan Edo in Epcot so headed there for around 10am, we hate going much earlier as it's weird only half the park being open. Daisy went on Mission Space which was a first and loved it but had I known that a) the signs around Epcot showing queue times showed the green (non spinning) queue i.e. 10 minutes, rather than the orange queue which was 40 minutes and b) a Brazilian tour group arrived with fast passes or a special ticket or something and were all let on in front of us! More about tour groups later!
Lunch at Teppan Edo was phenomenal, we've had odd Table Service meals before but it normally ends up the "safer" options due to having DMIL with us who isn't adventurous or fussy kids. Yesterday we just ordered the kids shrimp and chicken respectively and they just ate it (except Daisy who appears to be a vegetarian by genetics), Poppy loved it and they both loved the "bonkers" chef. It even had me thinking I'd cancel another reservation to go back but I'm beginning to think we'll be back next year.
I really thought the rigidity of
DDP and forward booking for 2 weeks would be a killer but so far we've loved it, rather than wonder aimlessly we've known where and when we're eating and everything else fits around. I don't think we can afford the 2-bed next year as we'd like to bump back up to 3 weeks but can see us coming back on this deal if it's still offered so trying to mentally picture this 2-bed cut in half!
After lunch we got far too hot, so hot we didn't make it to Paris for Champagne which is a 10 year first I have to say. Since last years fiasco of broken arms -> ulcer -> psoriasis (sorry for being graphic lol) it now seems I can't drink a drop without my skin going red and itchy which is really rubbish as I really like a drink. I digress, so very hot and bothered we decide to go for a first pass at Premium Outlets, I'm not really sure what I'm after and we've stopped getting the girls many clothes as they tend to get into a mode of just saying yes yes yes when we ask them if they want clothes then not wearing them at home. Better in Next or M&S at home were they can do the same but we can take it back! DW manages to choose enough to use my coupon book voucher in Tommy Hilfiger which was good.
A bit of rain fails to clear the air but makes it so muggy you can barely walk through it so we head back to OKW. I'd promised Daisy we'd have a late MK if she's good and starts looking after her sister, Poppy is getting tired and DW has a headache so we get ready and head out on the bus (a first) to MK just in time for the Electrical Parade. We've still barely ventured out of Fantasyland and ridden pretty much everything multiple times. I love late night trips as there's just no queuing to speak of. Went to Pinocchio's Village Haus for Macaroni and a flat bread which I definitely prefer to the old deep pan pizzas but more cheese so probably not very good for me! We finally head home at 1:30 am.
I can't believe that was only our second full day.
Finally, tour groups, they were a serious issue in Epcot yesterday and I do think Disney has to get some control over their behaviour. This isn't anything to do with race, I dread to think what 60 16 year old British girls would be like if they came in large groups so it's just the sheer volume and the excitement factor. From queue swarming to restaurant filling to marching in long lines chanting and singing loudly it just ruins the atmosphere for us a little. They are obviously good for Disney and I'd rather kids were being rewarded with trips to Disney for a good school year than being ignored and hating their school but the must be a way to reduce their impact on other guests.
Wow, marathon post. Today is an easy day in theory but because I never take time off work and we're only here for 2 weeks (sorry that sounds greedy) I'll probably make everyone go out at some point, besides they've got the whole summer off when we get back. I've noticed HS has late EMH tonight and not been on Toy Story Mania since the first year it opened so tonight might be a good night.
Bye for now, Andy
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