I’m loving your trip report
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See, Wayne is still causing trouble
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Yes but who is he?
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Wayne is the CM that works in the AKL gift shop, that told us of this special pin trading guy that comes in to the lobby once in awhile.
When we waited to meet this King Pin guy, it was actually Wayne dressed up in another outfit.
Wayne’s alter ego as the King Pin.
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Thank you I missed that what his name was when you DD’s first went to trade.
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Tuesday
Finally - ALL Epcot ALL day! Been looking forward to this.
Early morning coffee walk for me again. It was very misty and foggy out at dawn, made for some nice photos.
Felt like royalty walking up to the Intl Gateway entrance - it’s park open time 9:00 and ZERO people in line!
That alone helps justify some of the extra $$$ for YC.
We take a casual walk around and do Test Track, Crush, Spaceship Earth, then catch the Muppet scientist mini-show.
I sat beside an elderly man during Crush and he was way into it. Answering Crush and following along with the jokes more so than half the kids there. He was having a great time, good for him!
Time for World Showcase finally!!
I’ve heard that the guacamole is good at the stand outside Mexico, so we head that way (oh, the Margarita was excellent too).
On the way - we see Daisy Duck attempting to steal a bin of cookies from the Joffrey’s kiosk, while her handler was trying to tell her that it was not OK.
Daisy wasn’t happy.
We enjoy our Guac and 'Rita and then explore Mexico for a bit.
Heading our way around the world, we get to see the Illuminations globe come through the drawbridge.
The Liberty singers in America were impressive. Our oldest daughter is a choir singer, so she really enjoyed it.
Thought about trying to linger around the area for the Candlelight Processional, but it is PACKED for Neil P Harris today. Even the dining package line was huge.
And, there was a biker gang rolling in…
We don’t have time for that mess, we have a resort we can walk to!
Just because we can, we leave out IG to Yacht for a quick swim. Even though it’s getting a bit chilly, we gotta do it. Might not ever stay at this resort again.
We’ve sorta been pretending to be richer than we are, since we think we are among those type of people at Yacht.
Some of the names that we’ve been calling each other…
Buffy
Penelope
Thurston
Mine is - Todd Winston III, Esq.
And while I don’t own a cardigan sweater that I could tie around an oxford dress shirt, I do own a bunch of hoodies and t-shirts.
Getting ready to head back out for the night, I sport my Coco t-shirt with my Kohl’s hoodie tied around my shoulders. Classy
My daughters think my outfit is funny, well until I actually wear it out into public with them.
Embarassed or not, we go the Boardwalk to get a quick dinner for them.
Wife and I would rather find something in Epcot, so we go back to over to our private entrance.
Do a quick Nemo ride with the girls, then we split up. They go ride/shop on their own and the adults head to World Showcase to eat/drink.
Wife wants fish and chips, so she goes towards the UK.
I say “meet me in France” - I’ve heard of this bacon-cheese-bread thing in France that sounds good.
Get there and the bakery is packed, not waiting for that.
Also heard of a good pastrami sandwich at one of the festival booths next door.
Get there and it is closed, the booths close earlier I guess.
I’m striking out on things I know that I wanted to try.
Then I see the Tangerine Cafe with no line. I’m hungry, let’s do this.
Text the wife and say “now meet me in Morocco”
Glad that worked out like that, because the meal there was very good. I’d go back.
Nothing like sitting in Epcot with your Love, having good food/drink and watching the world go by.
We thought that our alone time would soon be done, as the girls will be calling to regroup.
They do call, they’re done - We are not.
They want ice cream from B&C back at the resort - We do not.
We have drinks on our custom disney table, an Epcot trashcan.
The beauty of having older kids at Disney - go do what you want to do. Let us know when you get there.
More alone time - and Illuminations starts just as we get around to Italy.
We stop to watch. There are newlyweds on the arched stairway getting photos taken during the show.
They must’ve paid a few bucks to have that done. Maybe they are Buffy and Todd?
Another couple people caught my attention.
A man and his grown son, standing out in front of us. They are both enjoying the show very much. A controlled over-excitement - energetic but subdued enough since they were in public.
Especially the Dad. He was having a great time.
It made me happy to see them that happy.
The holiday tag and the big finale of Illuminations were pretty awesome, very grand.
I’m anxious to see the new nightime shows that will be replacing it.
Great night to finish off another great day!
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I love your storytelling; very entertaining! Thanks for sharing your trip report!
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Great reports! It’s making the next 11 days before our trip bearable. Got two daughters as well, 10 and 6 but it’s their first time. Love the surprises you were able to pull off. I think I would be too excited myself and would just blurt it out. Keep 'em coming.
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Your trip report is great!!! Love the new names and the classy new look!!! It’s making the endless 54 day wait more fun!!
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Always enjoy your trip reports! In general, I love reposts because I can live vicariously & sometimes get a few ideas for my upcoming trip! Thanks for sharing.
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You are the best! Love your sense of humor, your family, your style…so much fun to follow along
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and this would be me and my DH
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Thank you for yet another great trip report!!! Enjoy following along and your pictures are amazing. Love your sense of humor too!!
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Wednesday
Last full day, and it will be a long one.
Magic Kingdom is open 9am to Midnight!
I get up first and early as usual and it is beautiful out this morning, no mist/fog - just sun. It is much colder though, only in the upper 40s. This might be tough as we didn’t pack too many cold weather clothes.
MK opens at 9, but we head out early and grab a Lyft to the Poly, it’s Tonga Toast day!
It’s been years since I had TT one time at Ohana, and I remember loving it. It was still good now at Capt Cook’s, but I don’t know if it was sooo good that I’d make it a destination breakfast again. Plus, Cook’s was crowded and a bit chaotic.
Can you believe it’s our last full day, but first time on the monorail this trip? Me neither.
My youngest and I have been practicing and we have it down…
ì°Por favor mantÈngase alejado de las puertas!î
We love it. Funny how it’s the smaller things in life that can entertain you.
It is COLD COLD COLD as we wait around Main St. We didn’t bring coats, so we layered up as best we could. Somebody didn’t even pack long pants (this guy).
We rope drop Adventureland and go to Jingle Cruise, then work our way around the kingdom.
Witness another sad scene (similar to our Mickey Bar experience in the Studios the other night) as we start our ride on Small World.
It’s a set of princess type minnie ears floating in the water. We have another quick moment of silence for the victim.
We are able to move on with our lives after that tragedy, and stay awake barely on our sleepy ride thru the smallest of worlds.
After the parade, we are hungry. I wanted to go to Geyser Point and also check out Wilderness Lodge, so we make our way out of MK.
It’s a nice scenic boat ride over.
Wilderness Lodge is impressive, wouldn’t mind staying here sometime.
We also enjoyed Geyser Point. Food, drink and service was good. Little cold, but they had the wind screens down.
I’d like to go back next trip when it’s warmer.
What, huh?
Dad, I was LITERALLY not sleeping!
We catch another Lyft back home to Yacht to relax a bit, but mostly to add more layers in preparation for the cold late night at MK.
We want to see the decorations at Grand Floridian, so we stop there on the way back to MK.
Do the touristy thing (so BASIC) - pictures, selfies, gingerbread shingle (which was not as tasty as I had hoped).
We ì°Por favor mantÈngase alejado de las puertas!î again over to MK.
Stop in the hat shop to listen to the old-timey gossip on the antique phone on the wall.
We missed seeing Elsa light up the castle with ice while we were gone, but it’s lit now and looks awesome.
picture, picture, selfie, selfie, etc, etc
Roam around the kingdom a bit, then it’s soon time for HEA.
We are not a “stand in this spot for an hour to save a spot on main street” type of family, so about 10 minutes before showtime we head back towards the hub. It is PACKED!
They have that side walkway open that goes behind the Plaza and Bakery towards the front of the park.
I see where they have the tape on the ground indicating where you can’t stand, this one for CM use to the back door to the bakery.
We camp a spot right on the edge so nobody will stand directly in front of us (more to come on that later).
It’s an angled view, but great for a 10 minute wait.
As HEA starts, the crowds thicken and people start filling in that “no-stand zone” in front of us.
Not too big a deal, as we still can see just fine.
But, you have to respect the ground tape!!! It’s an unbreakable Disney rule!!
The show is going great as usual.
Until some tall-ass dude comes in and throws his kid on his shoulders, about 3 feet in front of my daughters and in the “no-stand zone”.
Oh, hell naw!
Nope, not gonna have it! I go over there and let him know of his uncoolness in this situation. Respect the tape he must!!!
He quickly complies and we have no further issue.
So, it’s our last night’s stroll thru MK and we’re trying to soak it all in as best we can. Last night’s do suck.
Not the best score…
But enough to outscore the females again.
It’s nearing midnight when we make that last walk down Main Street. Who likes walking in this direction? Nope, not us.
Bus ride back was not bad, not as crowded/chaotic as a typical closing time just after fireworks.
Last return to home at Yacht. BOOO!
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Ahem…who forgot to pack long pants??? outscore my foot
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touche’
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Thanks for sharing. Sorry it’s your last night.
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Thursday
Travel day home (son-of-a-#@%&$!!!)
DME bus to the airport is scheduled for 11:40am, so at least we don’t have to rush around too much.
I still get up early to catch the last sunrise.
See an odd display in the resort hallway outside a room door - 5 single sneakers of varied sizes, all stuffed with candy. Not sure if that’s a thing I don’t know about or just a family prank?
I resist the urge to take an Oreo, maybe if it wasn’t a strange shoe???
We get all packed up before 9:00 and head back to our secret back-door entrance to Epcot. It’s nice that we have time to grab just a tiny bit more Magic to take home.
Plus, I’d still like to try that French bacon-cheese-bread thing.
The beauty of staying here reveals itself again.
All of our food from the French bakery is good. Nice relaxing breakfast while sitting in the streets of “France”.
After breakfast, we stop at the little observation spot by the bridge. Trying to soak in just a bit more.
(son-of-a-#@%&$!!!)
In the distance, you can see the Guardians ride building taking shape. I’ve heard people complain about the size/shape of the building and how it won’t fit in with the Epcot landscape.
I’d say it’s not that bad. It “disappears” nicely with the paint color they used.
We get back to Yacht at 10:40, nothing left to prepare - we are packed and ready. (son-of-a-#@%&$!!!)
Some random things are left in the fridge, including some beer. I grab one!
Wife and I find rocking chairs just outside the lobby by the pool and enjoy our final view.
A beer and a baguette from France, my last vacation snack. It’s 10:30am, don’t judge because I don’t care!
Would’ve tasted better if it wasn’t check-out day.
(son-of-a-#@%&$!!!)
We get out front to the DME bus about 20 minutes early, and before we barely even sit down the bus is rolling. (son-of-a-#@%&$!!!)
I take a screenshot of my countdown app (131 days) during the ride to MCO. It helps lessen the massive depression that is setting in, not really but whatever. (son-of-a-#@%&$!!!)
Our flight is delayed 2 hours because they were bringing a new crew in.
No big deal, let’s get a drink and relax. Problem is, that was not possible.
In whichever concourse this was Frontier, there was only one sit-down restaurant with a bar and it was jam-packed.
Starbucks, and the typical food-court fare - blah!
We get crappy pizza from the most dis-interested food service staff on planet earth.
And no beer.
Disney vibe is GONE here.
(son-of-a-… OK you get the idea by now)
Our flight is fine.
Disembarking at our local small airport (2 hours late) we walk through the typical gate crowd that is waiting to get on this plane that is headed back to Orlando.
They don’t look happy, and I understand.
A delayed flight TO Disney? Uh, no thanks.
Overall, another FANTASTIC TRIP that hopefully gives memories to last a lifetime for our girls.
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You are so much fun to follow!
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Thanks for sharing, this has been a fantastic report!
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