After the man shopping is surveyed and sampled by all, it is time to head over to the World Showcase again. I’m excited because eating, shopping, and entertainment there are unparalleled as is the walking, unfortunately…..which is of course everything DH detests on his sit/sip/relax/do nothin’ vacation. He states that he has absolutely no interest in going to the World Showcase and that he and DS will kick back at the hotel and meet us at the Coral Reef for dinner. Well, you know, if that’s really what you want to do. Are you sure? Yes. ALRIGHT!!!! Girls Day….woo-hoo!!
Now it’s not that we really want to ditch the guys but the lexmelinda girls don’t get many “girls only” opportunities. Up until 6 years ago, the girls and I could do/go pretty much anywhere…stores, restaurants, movies, the mall. But after DS came along our girl moments became fewer and farther between. If there is an opportunity, it usually means that one of us stays home with DS while the other two go out to do whatever thing is needing or wanting to be done. Let me tell ya, DS is no fun at the mall. So it is indeed a rare occasion if all three of us go somewhere together. But today the opportunity has presented itself and we practically sprint to the bus stop.
DISCLAIMER: We were so anxious to be on our way this afternoon that we forgot the camera…the horror. So to make this more fun I have included some links to photos and videos (from file sharing sites) of the more interesting items for you. Beware: Spoiler alert! Don't click on the link if you don't want to ruin it the magic.
Upon arrival, we head straight to
Test Track for fastpasses since Emily has her groove back and now wants to ride all the rides she missed on her chicken days. From there we go to the dock to take the Friendship Boat to Morocco.
Wow…there it is docking like they’re expecting us! We sort of run/walk to get on board….and then we wait….and wait….for probably 15 minutes. There seems to be a shift change going on. A new captain and first mate board and do a little check-in and we cast off for AFRICA…..Morocco (home of Casablanca) is in Northern Africa for the geographically challenged... you know who you are.
Now I love
Morocco with the little shops and market place feel. We see Aladdin and Jasmine meeting their peeps. I also love the Tangerine Café and I’m a little bummed that I’m not having a
Shawarma platter since I feel obligated to save room for our dinner at the Coral Reef tonight. Darn the free food!
We head over to
Japan just as the
drummers are starting. I love this show and we watched for a while before heading into the
mega-gift shop . Emily is fascinated with the
pick-a-pearl counter counter but we decide to wander on back and this store is endless! In the very back room of the store, we find
candy of literally all shapes and sizes. Problem: We can’t read Japanese. We wonder what flavor the candies are so we ask the cute Japanese CM. Ah….dey are shu-ga fla-va. OK? Thank you?
The girls finally settle on some flower candy bouquets and other assorted goodies. We take a quick spin around the garden and koi pond….gorgeous. We stop at the
kaki gori stand for the girls where the tattooed man in front of us as just ordered about 14 different half/half kaki goris. Don’t you know the Voices of Liberty are about to start singing, man! When it’s our turn we quickly get our order. Do you take the dining card? Yes….great!
Now on to the America pavilion where kaki goris are not allowed, BTW. The Voices of Liberty are finishing up so the girls wait at the door while I step inside to watch the final song. They are like a finely tuned instrument singing a cappella with each of the eight or so singers on a different note and in perfect harmony. As we leave I asked the girls if they heard any of it. “Just enough to hear that they were AWESOME!” says Mimi. So we decide to go to Italy and come back for the next show.
We enjoy the fountain and store at
Italy . We are just in time for the World Showcase Players’ rendition of
Romeo & Edna . I love these little shows and the players always choose their victims from the audience so I try not to make eye contact. They choose a man and woman who are 60ish for the lead parts, and the man has found his motivation and is really into his part in an embarrassing sort of way. FYI: The fact that you are chosen from the audience does not indicate that you have talent so do not use this as an opportunity to be discovered.
We head back to the good ole USA for the
Voices of Liberty . They are truly spectacular. Now can I just explain that I cry every time I hear the Star Spangled Banner ….every time. I already told you I shed a tear at the Beauty & the Beast Show. Beautiful songs and voices do that to me. Emily catches me wiping a tear away during “My Old Kentucky Home” and it’s all over with. The flood gates are open. I can’t help it. Sue me.
Back past Italy to Germany but on the way we pass the gelato stand. The girls have to have one so I inquire….do you take the dining plan? No! Cash only. She gets my last $5 cash….oy.
In
Germany we stop at the miniature train display, walk through the shops, buy some gummy bears and chocolate, and see the
Biergarten . DH & I ate here on our honeymoon back when you could teleconference with a CM in Future World to get your reservation for that evening. Same day reservations….those were the days…..Michael Jackson was still
Captain EO in 3-D at the Imagination pavilion…and
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was still at the MK…..aaahhhh……..OK, we’re back.
We’ve tried to time it so we can catch the acrobats’ show in
China which is a must-see for us. The show is incredible and most amazing are a
set of twins , around 11 years old, who balance on top of a pedestal on one hand while contorting themselves in all sorts of positions….in a perfect mirror image of one another. Hard for a 43 year old woman to imagine…actually, it was hard for me to sit there crossed legged on the pavement to watch the show….and hard to get up when it was over. Ooww!
Over to
Norway and Maelstrom is……..NOT a fastpass. The fastpass machines are covered so we walk on in. Now I’d like to say that I am a little wary. Last time we were here, the line looked short…from the outside...just a couple of dozen people outside the doorway. But once we got inside we realized there seemed to be thousands of people….so we were around an hour in Maelstrom purgatory. Now
Maelstrom is cute and all but not worth an hour wait by any stretch of the imagination.
The girls and I only wait a couple of minutes to ride and then ditch the post ride movie….as did almost everyone. I kind of feel sorry for the cute Norwegian CMs in the theater since nobody wants to see their movie….but not that bad. We keep walking right on into the bakery for some
school bread .
I’m a great lover of all things coconut and have been anxiously awaiting some school bread. I get it “to go” and head outside. It’s here that Mimi decides she hasn’t found what she wanted for the friends on her list so she heads back to the mega-store in Japan to get some things she saw there. Emily and I head over to Mexico and there it is…..the “snack shack” I’ve been waiting for…the margarita booth. I grab my
fiesta margarita (delicious and refreshing, BTW) and Emily and I head into the pyramid since she cannot remember what’s inside from our last trip.
We walk in the
pyramid and “oh, yeh” we sort of do a Griswolds-at-the-Grand-Canyon and head back out to wait for Mimi at the cantina. Emily gets into the school bread while we wait and when she reaches the half way point, I give her the key to the world and send her back to Norway for more….it’s that good. Mimi meets us back at the cantina and we head over to Future World to see fish and eat fish……….
DO…grab a times guide at guest services when you get to Epcot so you know what time the shows start in the World Showcase. Do plan to spend more time in the World Showcase next time so you can catch all the shows. (That’s for me.) We would have loved to see Miyuki the Candy Lady, British Invasion, Morockin, and Bjorn Again if they had been there that week. Do bring some cash….not every vendor takes the dining plan. Do remember you can go to YouTube.com or Google Video and find almost any act,
attraction , or really anything you want to see (and some you don’t!) so you can preview or relive the magic.
DON’T….make reservations for the dinner on the day you visit the World Showcase next time….that one’s for me also. I plan to sample the food all around the World Showcase. Don’t leave the pavilion shops without getting the items you love. These shops are unique in that they carry foods and goods from the countries and you will not likely find these items elsewhere in Disney World. Don’t forget your camera...the place is gorgeous!
I'm flattered. Thank you!
So, I'm looking forward to all the last minute planning and fine tuning to come over the next 30-days. DW is getting into it almost as much as I am. 
We'll be coming home from this trip to see the results of 5 days of "Gramma Shopping". (PrincessV).
(This is why my DH does all the shopping in our house!! 
)
Even with a list, DH buys more than we need! 
that the store had to give special permission for Jamie to buy beer! I bet he loved that & the whole carding thing in general. Can't wait for more! 
