"YES you can see his ID!" 21st Birthday - Gangnam Style!

[LittleMissMagic]

So after Soarin, we're cutting it really close because the girls had to go to the bathroom, and Max wanted another Dragonberry.

I knew we were in trouble because Mom texted me to get back there now. Apparently we hadn't been bothered at all until 10 minutes prior to the show when a family showed up and their little kids were pushing and shoving... surprise. When we got there, Addie and I sat down and Rachel and Max stood above us so we wouldn't take up as much room. Well, the people who had just stepped up behind us got super mad that we were there, talking loudly about how rude we were. Maybe, but I'm sorry - if you thought that there were four backpacks strung across a railing with people straddling and no one was going to come to watch the show, you're ignorant. It was pretty obvious what we were doing, like it or not (I'm not a huge supporter of seat saving, but after trying to fight it for years, I'm on the "everybody else does it, so I might as well, too" team). But what was ridiculous is that there were plenty of open spaces around us with better views (not to mention, these were very tall people who could easily see over or around us). Anyway, this guy was probably drunk from Food & Wine, but he was being ridiculous. He called us rednecks and some worse words... Well, that's when my dad turned around and told him off. Like, totally not Disney-appropriate. I didn't really hear what he was saying at the time, but Rachel said, "Dad, out of all of the times you choose to yell at people... I actually supported you this time." She was really upset.

Apparently my camera was crooked... I'm too lazy to straighten right now.


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[LittleMissMagic]

After IllumiNations, we headed back to the resort. It was only around 10:00, and Rachel and Addie were adament that Max's birthday wasn't over, yet. They wanted to go to Downtown Disney to continue the party.

Well, we walked to Downtown Disney, and by the time we got there, it was 10:50... and everything was closing. All of the stores. All of the restaurants. Downtown Disney on a Sunday night is not a party.


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So we walked back to the resort, and Dad drove to the store and brought back some drinks so the end of Max's birthday wouldn't be such a mess-up. :laugh:

Really, though - besides a few little hiccups, the day was great. At some point in the afternoon, Rachel said, "This might be my best birthday ever!" Max said, "Oh, no doubt about it. This is my best birthday ever!" :happy:

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I made Max a Drink Around the World Passport, and I wrote down his drink in every country, as well as our substitutes, so he'll have a souvenir, as well as know what he liked and didn't like in the future.


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[LittleMissMagic]

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My plan was to not really have a plan for the next day. I figured we had already hit three parks... we decided we'd go to Animal Kingdom before we left on Tuesday... it was time to do stuff we hadn't done or redo things.

So we started at Epcot. I had this ambitious idea that we could get there at rope drop... yeah, right.


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By the time we got there, Soarin' FPs were already backed up to 1:00 (it was ridiculous, actually). So we went to ride Mission: Space. It, of course, had less than a 10 minute wait.


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[jecskc]

I would have been so sick if I had all that to drink. How was he feeling the next day ?? Too bad Coral Reef wouldn't just make you a mudslide. How hard could that have been ????

 

[JDUB]

Max was a trooper around the world!! Also enjoyed your cruise TR for the recent grads! Great pics!!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I would have been so sick if I had all that to drink. How was he feeling the next day ?? Too bad Coral Reef wouldn't just make you a mudslide. How hard could that have been ????

Max was fine. He's a really big guy. He was "feelin' it," but nowhere near too much to drink. He was actually extremely concerned that he was going to lose his buzz over dinner, but the ridiculously strong tequila drink helped him out.

Before going, I'd read several articles about drinking around the world... all with warnings to start early and pace yourself throughout the day, eat food and drink water in between... smart people stuff. We actually followed none of that. He went from Norway to France with some Food & Wine stops in between from 4-6. Now... if I had tried to do that, I probably would've been an extremely silly, possibly sick girl by dinner time. But for Max, he consumed probably the perfect amount of alcohol. And from what I hear, Soarin' is crazy amazing when you've had a few.

 

[saintstickets]

But for Max, he consumed probably the perfect amount of alcohol. And from what I hear, Soarin' is crazy amazing when you've had a few.

Hmmmm....the perfect amount of alcohol....never been able to do that and I'm MUCH older than y'all. Guess I'll just have to keep trying!!

Soarin' with a buzz...now that's an intriguing idea.

Loving your TR...more please

 

[jecskc]

Hmmmm....the perfect amount of alcohol....never been able to do that and I'm MUCH older than y'all. Guess I'll just have to keep trying!!

Soarin' with a buzz...now that's an intriguing idea.

Loving your TR...more please

I know, right ?? My favorite ride with a buzz ??? That would be awesome. I will say, if I had all of the things Max had to drink, I would have been so sick the next morning. I just can't drink like I used to. It sucks getting old ....

Looking forward to the big game this weekend !! A very exciting rivalry. I work with a guy who graduated from the Landscape Architecture at Clemson a couple of years ago and I have never seen anyone wear so much orange in my life. He's a big fan for sure. We will see if we can make it four in a row. But it is shaping up to be a good game for sure !!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Hmmmm....the perfect amount of alcohol....never been able to do that and I'm MUCH older than y'all. Guess I'll just have to keep trying!!

Well, the perfect amount to get him as happy as he wanted to be without getting sick or losing control of himself.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Looking forward to the big game this weekend !! A very exciting rivalry. I work with a guy who graduated from the Landscape Architecture at Clemson a couple of years ago and I have never seen anyone wear so much orange in my life. He's a big fan for sure. We will see if we can make it four in a row. But it is shaping up to be a good game for sure !!

Oh, no - a Carolina fan?

I'm an architecture major (I might've said this before... I don't recall)! I bet he spent a good deal of time at Lee Hall during his time at Clemson.

I'm really bummed we didn't get game day. But, I camped out a week for my tickets and will be cheering on the tigers from the first row!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

We decided that our time would be better spent leaving Epcot now, eating an early lunch at Beaches & Cream, and then heading to Hollywood Studios to watch the shows we hadn't seen (Max requested Lights, Motors, Action... it must be a boy thing).

So we stopped at Club Cool (Rachel's request, as always) for some beverages before heading to the Beach Club.

Food & Wine was just beginning.

I thought the cranberries were really cool:


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[LittleMissMagic]

Max had never walked out the back exit of Epcot before - this was exciting!


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New menu:


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Same delicious favorites:


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Everyone got the grilled cheese except for Dad. He got the pot roast sandwich. Honestly, everything on the menu sounded good... but I knew that the grilled cheese was too good to pass up.


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Grilled cheese and tomato basil is the way to go - it's absolutely amazing! Yet another great restaurant we hit!

Max: "This is the best food ever!"
Addie: "You say that every place we eat."
Max: "It keeps getting better!"

:laugh:

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Max really liked the looks of Stormalong Bay. I think he'll need to stay here sometime! Can't say I'll be sad to come back. :laugh:


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Two of a kind...


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[LittleMissMagic]

While those two were bumming on the bench, my dad made me the proudest daughter ever.

I was wandering around, looking for pictures... he comes up to me and tells me to come check this out. Takes me inside the lighthouse. "I wanna see if you notice this... what do you see this way?"


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The Yacht Club.

This way?


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The Beach Club.

This way?


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The Boardwalk.

This way?


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The Dolphin.

"See - each doorway gives you different views of the different resorts."

"OMG DAD VISTAS!!! THEY'RE FRAMING VISTAS!!!"

Now, was that architectural significance intentional or just a coincidence? There could have been other reasons for the alignment, as well... one probable cause being that they chose to center the lighthouse in the dock and create an opening on the 90-degree angles. But I'd like to think that it was intentional. That through architecture, the Imagineers forced us to see what they wanted us to see.

 

[jecskc]

Oh, no - a Carolina fan?

I'm an architecture major (I might've said this before... I don't recall)! I bet he spent a good deal of time at Lee Hall during his time at Clemson.

I'm really bummed we didn't get game day. But, I camped out a week for my tickets and will be cheering on the tigers from the first row!

Yes, a Carolina fan. You did mention you are in the Architecture program. I work in Columbia for a Landscape Architect doing irrigation design. I showed my office mate your picture, but he didn't recognize you. But since you were a few years apart, I didn't figure he would. I know he was in a fraternity, I will have to ask him which one.

We were all excited at the office with the prospect of getting Game Day for Clemson/Carolina. But we figured Notre Dame and So. Cal. would get it since it is a more high profile game. Especially with K. State and Oregon losing yesterday. Glad you got good seats. Gonna be exciting for sure !!

 

[LittleMissMagic]

We got to DHS just in time to make it to Indiana Jones. It was standing room only, but we were fine with that because we knew we were going to have to race to Lights, Motors, Action. They ended up opening up the accessibility seating after so long into the show so everyone standing could sit down.

The Indiana Jones stunt guy was a terrible actor. He was so pathetically scripted sounding when talking about his stunts. If I had known how bad he was going to be, I would've skipped the show and gotten a seat for Lights, Motors, Action instead.


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[LittleMissMagic]

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Ouch.


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Bye, extras!


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[LittleMissMagic]

We raced over to Lights, Motors, Action, but had missed the opening scene because we had to climb that awful staircase and enter from the top of the theater.


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Interesting park view from this location...


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[LittleMissMagic]

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