Good! We’re eagerly awaiting them!!!
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What camera did you use for the “Illuminations” pix? #TheyreBeautiful!
All the pics I’ve posted were taken on my phone, actually! I had to do some editing to those because my phone doesn’t take great photos at night or indoors.
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Thanks for posting! Love all the pictures!
I just got back home on Friday from my second solo trip to WDW and promptly booked my 3rd solo trip!
Sorry you had a lot of rain but it didn’t look like it slowed you down.
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I thought it looked outdoors!
Enjoying your trip report and amazing photos. I have never been to Epcot F&G but your pictures make me want to book a trip for next year!
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Day 7, Part 1:
Braved the masses at RD for Pandora then relaxed with a leisurely stroll through Harambe, ending with Gorilla Falls and Kilimanjaro Safaris.
Good morning, Harambe!
The bougainvellia was in full bloom! 
The Bloat . . .
. . . and the Flamboyance.
Jambo, Twiga!
Jambo, Tembo!
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So beautiful! Thanks for brightening my morning.
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Wow are you a trained photographer or is it a hobby? Those pictures are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing them.
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Haha! Well, I’m not a trained photographer but I do love taking beautiful photos to document my travels, so I guess you could call it a mini hobby! 
It would be fun to take some photography classes and actually feel like I know what I’m doing . . . And I have this vague ambition of being a travel blogger at some point, though I haven’t taken any steps to actually pursue that goal. So we’ll see . . .
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Day 7, Part 2:
Drove from AK over to MK, stopping to wander around the Poly for pictures and pot-stickers. The day turned dark and stormy just in time for HEA… fortunately, the lightning eased up in time for the show to go on. The rain, not so much…
In keeping with the South Seas theme, when I got to MK I headed straight to the Tiki Room.
Olé! Olé! It’s showtime!
Am I the only one who thinks that dole whips look exactly like the Tiki Room…?
So, funny story: I whacked the back of this guy’s buzzed head with my umbrella while snapping this pic… not once, but twice. Pretty sure his girlfriend thought I was doing it on purpose after the second time! 
This one was for my dad, who roasts coffee in our kitchen twice a week using a stovetop popcorn popper.
See that tiny patch of blue sky? Yeah, that was overhead when I got on Splash Mountain. By the time I got off and walked to the castle, that tiny patch was quickly disappearing.
First time doing a dessert party! The desserts were fun and the viewing spot was great, but I’m honestly not sure I would pay to do it again. I’d rather save the $60 and grab a spot early, I think.
Wait… are those Mickey’s ears peeking out from under my table??
I was drenched, even with a poncho. But my goodness, that castle is stunning.
Tried to catch the rain in the light but it doesn’t really show how heavy the downpour was. I waded through ankle-deep standing water on my way back up Main Street!
The ferry is my favorite way to leave MK after the fireworks.
Until next time, MK. Thanks for the magic and the memories!
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Great ending to your report.
There’s still a bit more to come . . . departure day was full of all kinds of excitement.
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This is like the surprise endings (when they were still a surprise) to all the marvel movies after the credits end! Looking forward to it!
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Day 8: Departure
I have started a little Departure Day Tradition of sleeping in, breakfasting at Boma, wandering around AKL, then squeezing in a last hour or two at my favorite park before heading off to the airport. Steps 1 through 4 of this plan went off without a hitch. Step 5, not so much…
A final stroll around Coronado Springs. It really is a lovely resort . . .
. . .though it will be lovelier when this isn’t the first and last view you have. #keepingitreal
Someday I’m going to actually stay here. It’s such a beautiful resort.
Back at my favorite park. 
Flamingos are hilarious. They are some of my favorite animals (along with penguins, which are sadly lacking at WDW…)
So, I didn’t make it onto the Jungle Cruise on this trip, but guys . . . I found the backside of water all by my onesie!
Sad. . .
. . . but I got a few shots of my favorite flowers on the way out.
Now for the excitement: I arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare. On my drive over, I noticed that the clouds were building . . .
Not just any clouds. Big, dark, ominous clouds.
And not just in one direction. Everywhere.
So no, those are not my tears running down the window, that’s rain.
Quite a lot of rain.
Enough rain to completely shut down the airport and delay my flight by 2 full hours. We sat on the tarmac, plane shaking and swaying from the wind gusts, watching the lightning and listening to the thunder for a loooong time.
Quite a long time.
I only had a 90 minute layover in Salt Lake, so I was certain I had missed my connecting flight. But they held the plane, cheered when I finally got to the gate, and high-fived me when I boarded (the last one from our Orlando flight to finally find the right gate . . . 
)
I didn’t get home until almost midnight (3am eastern time) and was completely exhausted. But I got to watch the sun set from 30,000 feet and really . . . Does it get much better than that?
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Epilogue:
Yes, it’s always sad when a trip to WDW ends.
Yes, it’s tough to get back to “real life” again.
Yes, I’d be back there tomorrow if I could.
But don’t feel too sorry for me. I was up at the bright and shiny hour of 5:30 a.m. the next morning (yay for jet lag!) so I took an early morning stroll about 10 minutes away from my house.
And this was my view:
Home is really not so very bad. 
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Wonderful trip report! Thanks for sharing.
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Thank you for your report! I loved it and your pictures. I will admit I am jealous of your home too!
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Thanks so much for taking us along…Wonderful photos…
@OBNurseNH will be especially happy to see that you managed to catch a PAIR of the elusive Cranes of Disney…
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