Trip Report Get in the Car, We're Going Home! LIVE *COMPLETED*

Surprise!

I could have titled this "That Time We Went to Florida and Didn't Tell Anyone" but I didn't want to plagiarize @Doc Disney.

@Longers, you were right ~ we are sneaking in another trip before April. (I could not leave you in suspense until April, @blgauger!)

@amjt660 told me to get back to WDW soon ~ and I didn't want him to go through TR withdrawal.

And both @LisaBelle and @MegRuss626 asked me to "keep 'em coming!"

So here we go again......

Believe it or not this trip was birthed a mere three weeks ago. I was looking at Em's school calendar and noticed she had a long weekend for President's Day. I jokingly said, "Road Trip!" and before I knew it I was booking a room, making ADRs and choosing FPs.

Em requested we keep our plans secret ~ she's tired of the "You're going AGAIN??!!" comments ~ and the clandestine element made our anticipated adventure that much more exciting.

Well, the cat's out of the bag now. (Speaking of cats, Woody is lovingly caring for Poly and Kona in my absence. And yes, he was "in" on our secret.)

Em and I will attempt a duo LIVE report. You'll discover the trip deets as we go along.

@Tony the Tigger, you totally picked the wrong day to go to MK....you should have stuck with Friday!

@bee, too bad we're not staying at CSR this time....we'd pop by!

Departure:

Told ya I'd see ya real soon!

 

[BWK05]

For all of you curious about the current state of Starring Rolls since its sudden "closing"....

Can't believe they closed it!! Always our breakfast stop at DHS

 

[TrolleyFollower91]

Wait a minute, this is what I had to ride for backstage passes?!

 

[Tuvalu]

Things are sure a changin' around these parts.

She's been patiently waiting a long time for this day!

One happy daughter.

Em wondered if she could rent out this room in PizzeRizzo for her reception! The tunes just beckon folks to the dance floor. We watched several kids (and their parents) get their boogie on!

And you gotta love ALL the details!

 

[Tuvalu]

Next FP;

That's Em's hand photobombing the peace sign.

It was a close one!

But would I have taken this picture if Em was the Best in Vehicle?

 

[Longers]

@Longers, you asked and we obliged.

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Who cares that it was 10:45 am???

Exactly ice cream is good any any time - love it!

 

[Longers]

Ok @Longers, we had the ice cream.....

IT'S BIG THUNDER TIME, BABY!!!!

We requested the back and were told to stand in Row 15.
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On board and gettin' ready!
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Here we goooooo!!!!!!!!!!
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I soooooo. Wish I was you just now!

 

[blreinsel]

Finally all caught up! Hope you're having a magical day!

 

[Tuvalu]

Unlike its predecessor Pizza Planet, PizzeRizzo does not offer cupcakes. Em could always count on getting her Darth Vader chocolate/peanut butter cupcake with her Pizza Planet pizza. And during February, PP carried a red velvet cupcake that was my fave. So after our Toy Story competition, we went on a cupcake search.

We did not have to go far ~ we found both cupcakes in the Trolley Car Cafe.

And then something unusual happened. Em looked at me and said, "You know, I really don't feel like a cupcake. I'm more in an ice cream mood."

I replied, "Me too!"

So we left the Trolley Car Cafe empty-handed.

We encountered another streetmosphere performer who admonished me, "No pictures, please!" And then promptly struck a pose.

As we neared the exit to DHS Em asked, "So what's our plan?"
Me: "I thought we were getting ice cream."

The Boardwalk area has two of the best ice cream options. And it just so happened a boat was pulling into dock as we left DHS. We made a beeline for it.

Turn right or continue straight for Beaches and Cream?

(I see you peeking at us, Spaceship Earth!)

We turned.

 

[Longers]

So what ice cream are you eating?

 

[MinnieM123]

A Disney restroom should not be out of toilet paper and paper towels at 10:15 am. Just sayin'

(Sorry . . . )

 

[Tuvalu]

@Longers will say it's always a perfect day for ice cream. While we agree to an extent, the hot Florida sun and humidity tend to make a melty mess of ice cream pretty quickly.

Today was cloudy. And only 70 degrees. A perfect day to eat ice cream on the Boardwalk!

We have read about the ice cream flight (6 flavors, $9.49) and decided we needed to try it!

The limited-time flavor sounded really good to both of us so we got 2 scoops of it.

Our other 4 choices were:

How cool (literally!) is this......

The scoops were a generous size and a better value than two single-scoop servings which would have cost us $12. And each flavor was yummy.

@Longers, we thought of you again!

Just chillin'

As we were leaving, an Ample Hills employee was setting up this menu board. @Tiggerish, had we known float #2 was an option..........

 

[Tuvalu]

Em and I took a lovely stroll to Epcot. We wanted to check out more of the Festival of the Arts.

Everyone must go through the metal detectors at the International Gateway entrance.

Again, a non-Passholder was ahead of us in the Passholder entry.....Mickey's head turned blue.

 

[Tuvalu]

Since it is the Saturday of the last weekend of the Festival, World Showcase was wall-to-wall guests.....as many as I have seen on F&W weekends. Totally cray-cray. Em has never experienced F&W and she was shocked at the length of the lines at the food and beverage stations ~ and that there was no space on the Promenade that didn't have a person occupying it!

We could barely get close enough to view the art in the booths. We didn't even bother with the food kiosks.

But we did have fun posing in the art.

Norway's Flower & Garden troll is ready!

 

[Tuvalu]

Em wanted to see the Mary Blair and Herb Ryman exhibits in the Festival center, located in the Odyssey. It had started to sprinkle when we went inside.

We glanced out the window and uh-oh.
Downpour!!!

So we listened to the no-cut A Capella group who was performing on the stage.

Go Sue!

 

[Tuvalu]

This rain had not been forecast on the weather app or we would have been prepared for it. When it became apparent the rain was not letting up, we decided to head out anyway. Em figured it was closer to go to the front of the park and catch a bus back to DHS. (And there was more "shelter" we could take advantage of while on our way.)

The rain had lessened by the time we reached the exit. Once again, the bus we needed was waiting for us!

(Memo to self: Bus > monorail)

We found our car easily and spent a couple hours relaxing in our room.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

That ice cream at Ample Hills looked great. I'm been reading a lot of good things about it, I can't wait to try it in a couple weeks. I think that 6 pack is the way to go.

 

[LeighM]

When I was there in October, I told my husband there should be some restrooms near the bus stops LOL. I complained loudly too. There can be long waits for POR at MK at night when the park is closing. My small bladder is very happy to find out they finally put bathrooms there

 

[BWK05]

We have read about the ice cream flight (6 flavors, $9.49) and decided we needed to try it!

They need to rename this to "An Ice Cream Flight to Paradise" We'll be getting those in June!!

 

[Tiggerish]

Yum!!! That float sounds AHHH-mazing. TBH, tho, I would have had to go with the Lemon Prosecco.

Em and I took a lovely stroll to Epcot. We wanted to check out more of the Festival of the Arts.

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Everyone must go through the metal detectors at the International Gateway entrance.
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Again, a non-Passholder was ahead of us in the Passholder entry.....Mickey's head turned blue.
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Oh, why can't people read?

Or maybe reading comprehension is not the problem, it's the "rules don't apply to me" issue. Either way,

Em wanted to see the Mary Blair and Herb Ryman exhibits in the Festival center, located in the Odyssey. It had started to sprinkle when we went inside.

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We glanced out the window and uh-oh.
Downpour!!!

View attachment 190500

So we listened to the no-cut A Capella group who was performing on the stage.

Go Sue!

Oh, those two exhibits...they are the #1 reason I wish I'd been able to attend that festival.

Followed closely by the communal paint-by-number.

That ice cream at Ample Hills looked great. I'm been reading a lot of good things about it, I can't wait to try it in a couple weeks. I think that 6 pack is the way to go.

Agreed, as long as its shared between 2. Or 3.

I am both a cheapskate and a small person with capacity issues.

 

[Tuvalu]

"Mom I found a dinner ADR for tonight," said happy daughter. "And it will probably cost less than what we spent last night at Tusker House."

Sold.

Shortly after 7 pm, we arrived here:

"They must be going to The Wave," you may be thinking. "Because Chef Mickey's is priced similar to Tusker House."

Right and wrong.

Right that Chef Mickey's cost the same as Tusker House.

Wrong that we were going to The Wave.

"We won't drink, get an appetizer or dessert," she said.

She who had a glass of wine. Me who couldn't resist an appetizer. And both of us who caved when presented with the dessert menu.

Worth. Every. Penny.
And due to my Tables in Wonderland discount, only cost $8 more than our Tusker House meal.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

After we checked in at the desk on the 2nd floor of the Contemporary, we rode the elevator to the 15th floor. We waited briefly for our table in the lobby area with the beautiful wall of wine bottles.

Which was spoiled by this:

#bandoublestrollers
#noplaceforbaby