Baloos at WDW - 27 November to 7th December

Day 1 – The Journey Sunday 26th November 2006

Day 1 – The Journey Sunday 26th November 2006

Having decided that a 4:00 am departure time for a 10 hour flight and a long day ahead would be too much for the kids (and the adults), the Baloos decided to stay at the airport the night before the flight. Dave travels a lot for work, but had enough loyalty points for a large room to accommodate us all. Having dropped the dog at the kennel the day before, getting the bags packed and house sorted (thanks Sarah), we hit the road at 3:00 – almost on schedule!

Traffic was not too bad despite localised flooding, and we made it to the hotel at 5:30 (in commute in the morning would have been 4 hours min.). Checking in as a Priority Club Member was a breeze, sign my name, take the key and off we go. Shortly after arriving, Barbara and her chauffer (a.k.a. her brother Tony) arrived at the hotel. We decided to check in that evening and drop our bags off. This made life so much easier – but the complementary bus service to and from the airport (about a mile) was £20 ($40!!!!). That was a bit of a surprise.

We grabbed a pretty good dinner at Garfunkles in the airport – good food and a good price and headed back to the hotel for bed. Tony left about 10:00 but we remembered we left a wet load of clothes in the washing machine (thanks for coming to the rescue Dad). Although it was late for the kids, and we were all exhausted, it was too exciting to sleep. And Sarah was worried we had too much hand luggage. Thankfully this was not an issue.

Day 2 – The Journey Part 2 Monday 27th November 2006

Day 2 – The Journey Part 2 Monday 27th November 2006

Dave dropped everyone at the terminal and parked the car while Sarah got coffee (more on the car parking saga later). We checked in, went through security and had breakfast before our plane left. We nearly missed our flight however, and made it on just in time (the joys of large party travels!!!). Mikey loved the flight, especially watching Cars over and over again. Jess on the other hand found the pressure really uncomfortable – and she was teething too. The other passengers must have loved us. But once we hit turbulence post take off, she giggled, and both of them were great on the flight.

Arriving in Orlando was not bad. A lovely customs officer let us all go through together in the US line due to Dave’s citizenship and the wait was much shorter than for the other Brits.

We boarded the tram to the terminal, and the kids thought this was a blast. Barbara got a little excited, as she had never seen so many palm trees before. It took a little while to find the Disney Magical Express office, but once we did, it was plain sailing. We met a lovely cast member from Bushey, here in the UK (I used to live there 20 years ago!!!) and she spoilt the kids with stickers. We boarded the bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge (AKL), sharing it with passengers bound for Pop Century and Coronado Springs.

When we arrived at AKL we instantly fell in love. The Baloos have always admired Peter Dominick’s work at Wilderness Lodge and the Grand Californian. We knew we had arrived somewhere special. The smell of the lodge was a wonderfully smoky spicy aroma that tingled one’s senses. The exquisite lobby, decked for the holidays immediately put us in the mood for fun. Barbara’s response – “OH WOW” as we walked through the door. It was at this point Jessica decided to have a melt down. We were all exhausted.

Dave checked in and were allocated a room on the 5th floor (Deluxe Savannah View) at the end of the Zebra trail. After hiking a fair distance, the Baloos fell in love with the room, but ugh, it was a smoking room. One phone call to the front desk and a quick visit later, we were allocated a non smoking room almost as far away in 5555.

At first we were disappointed to be so far from the lobby, pool and restaurants, but the cast member said they put us in a special room. I would later find out she was right (we could see the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom and Epcot from our balcony). Also, our room was near the food prep area for the animals, so it was not uncommon to have 20 – 25 animals in front of our room first thing in the morning (while other savannahs appeared to have few). We grew to really love our room, but that walk did get longer as the days moved on.

Just before bed, the fireworks started and we watched as a family, holding one another – just as the largest shells burst through the air, a giraffe sauntered past our room. I turned to my beautiful wife and said “only in Disneyworld”. We went to bed very tired and happy!

Day 3 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom – but where’s the Yeti? Tuesday 28th November

Day 3 – Disney’s Animal Kingdom – but where’s the Yeti? Tuesday 28th November

Between exhaustion, excitement and jet lag, everyone continued to awaken throughout the night. But when Stitch and Mickey rang to wake us up, we were excited to begin our next adventure. Outside our window were 4 Wildebeest, 4 Ankole Cattle (my, what big horns they have!) and a Giraffe – awesome!

Breakfast reservations were at 7:30 in Boma, a wonderful African buffet with a great mix on offer. We indulged in pastries, fruit, omelettes; the wonderful smoky flame grilled pork, as well as Bobotie, Pap and a curry sausage casserole. The Jungle Juice was to die for and the Kenyan pressed pot made for a great cup of coffee. Off to the parks – once the bus arrived (oh and via the changing room – I’ve never changed a baby on marble before – very cool). Not too bad on day 1, but we lost the will to live with the buses by the end of the trip – more later.

Arriving at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (DAK), we were so excited. Dave did a survey while the others found the restroom. We got some “1st Visit” badges for the little ones and Barbara and off we went.

The Parrots were active in the Oasis and Mikey kept saying, “Cool, Pirates of the Caribbean”. Barbara was in awe. As many know, DAK is like no other Disney experience on the planet. Very cool.

Asia was the first port of call. Enroute we stopped by a kidcot funstop where we learnt about how to tell the difference between Male and Female tigers by looking at their paw prints. Then Mikey played a game where he had to identify animals by the noise they made – I was really proud as he scored 100%. The funstops are great.

After looking at the monkeys and a baby duckling, it was off to the temple of the Himalayas. Wait time for Expedition Everest was 20 minutes in the stand bye, so off we went. I loved the train steam effects and the ride was superb (airtime on that thing rocks). But Dave must have upset the Yeti by ringing all the bells as his cave was dark – no growl, no yeti. So disappointing. Good excuse to try to come back.

Next was the Nemo musical, which we all loved (was that a tear in your eye Dave?). While we queued, we met a lovely family from the same neighbourhood of San Francisco as my family. What do you know, a bunch of San Franciscan Sicilian Americans in the same place – instant connection. They loved that ALL of us were dressed alike. And the show, as I said was excellent. We all loved it, even Barbara – who is often known to fall asleep in shows. She skips the fantastic Lion King Show in Paris!!!!

After some rootbeer floats (have we told you yet how much we loved the dining plan?), it was off to Kali River Rapids.

Mikey, Daddy and Nana rode this one first. Everyone loved it – except we did get a little wet. Mikey liked it, but when asked if he wanted to ride again, we got “No thanks, I’m fine”. So Daddy and Mama rode together this time. And we got drenched. Glad it was warm – about 80. Sadly Nana kept telling us for hours how wet she was – and it meant she chickened out of Splash Mountain later on the trip. A shame really.

Off to the Maharaja Jungle Trek. We spent a good hour if not more here. The kids were really taken with the Komodo Dragons and the Tigers. Also Mikey got a big kick out of the birds. Wonderful as always.

At Discovery Island, we watched a fantastic percussion group play Christmas carols. These guys were brilliant, and Mikey couldn’t keep still – he danced right along. A wonderful bit of respite before Its Tough to be a Bug. Mikey and Jess quite enjoyed it, but it did make them jump in quite a few areas. But when they left the theatre, they asked to see it again. We convinced them food would be a better idea. They didn’t need a lot of convincing.

We managed to get some great seats at Flame Tree BBQ where we could also watch Mickey’s Jamming Jingle Parade. What a great show with giant puppets and drums, a wonderful vibe fitting with the park. We shared our meals of BBQ Chicken, Ribs, Pulled Beef Sandwiches, Key Lime Pie, Frozen Lemonade and Chocolate Cake. It was all excellent – a lovely counter service meal that puts DLP to shame. The beans were great, as was the corn on the cob. Definitely two thumbs way up.

After dinner, it was near closing and the kids were tired, so we shopped a little and headed back to the resort. After getting the kids to bed, Sarah and Dave cuddled on the balcony watching the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom. A great end to a brilliant day!

Day 4 – Epcot – Swimming with Ducks, Monorail Co-Pilots, Teppanyaki and Illuminations

Day 4 – Epcot – Swimming with Ducks, Monorail Co-Pilots, Teppanyaki and Illuminations – Wednesday 29th November

Everyone woke up really early and Daddy’s back was very sore. So to make the most of it, Dave went to the Animal Kingdom Lodge pool on a quest of discovery. Grabbing some coffee from the Mara, Dave enjoyed the seclusion of the Hot Tub while drinking coffee and watching the sunrise. Once the coffee was gone, it was time to hit the pool. While swimming alone, Animal Kingdom Lodge lived up to its name. While floating on his back, Dave was joined by three ducks swimming about 3 feet away. Amazing. Checked out the flamingos, got ready and off to Epcot.

As Barbara has never even seen a monorail, we had to enter Epcot in style. We took the bus to the Magic Kingdom and enjoyed seeing the castle teasing us in the background. We then hopped the ferry, with everyone looking at us like we were crazy as we were the only family leaving the MK. As we left, the skies opened up and we were caught in a downpour between the ferry terminal and the Monorail station (don’t you just love Florida???!!!!). When we got up to the station, we were presented with the opportunity to be co-pilots! Dave used to love this at Disneyland, but here he was taking his son on his first monorail voyage, to his first trip to Epcot – a memory for sure. And Barbara kept saying “Oh WOW” as we travelled around future world. It was totally worth getting to Epcot 20 minutes after opening to approach in this style. And we were given co-pilot licences – so much fun to begin!

Spaceship Earth was 101 and the rain was tipping down. We decided a visit was in order with the characters. We were the only ones in the character station, so we were able to enjoy some real quality time with Mickey, Minnie, Chip and Dale, Goofy, Pluto and Mary Poppins. We all really enjoyed the experience, and while Jessie was uncertain at first, she seemed to be a real character visiting pro by the time we finished.

Off to the Land, grabbing some fast passes for Soarin’, we boarded our cruise around the Land. Dave and Sarah were worried that the kids (and Barbara) might be bored by the educational slant of Epcot. This was totally unwarranted, as everyone loved the trip through the greenhouses; Mikey loved seeing the fish and gators, and got really excited to see the tomatoes and bananas (two of his favourite foods) as well as the Mickey Pumpkins (Mikey shouted “cool - Trick or treat”). Barbara and Sarah were impressed to see foods growing that we do not grow in the UK. When we arrived back at the station, Mikey did not want to get off, he wanted to go again. But the promise of food worked, so off to the Sunshine Seasons Food court.

Again we shared the food around, enjoying a beef salad flatbread with lime sauce, a ham and salami grinder, salmon and mashed potatoes, and sweet & sour chicken with noodles. Dessert consisted of rice crispy treats (a little stale), a peanut butter brownie, and dirt & worms. All of it was great except the rice crispy treats. While sitting, we took advantage of our fast passes and baby switch on Soarin’. Dave got misty eyed (as was always the case at DCA) and Barbara was knocked out. Then when Sarah went on with Barbara, Dave took the kids to see the Circle of Life film. Yet again Dave shed a tear, as did Mikey. Dave was proud of his little environmentalist.

Hooking up again, we went to the Imagination Institute and we were really pleased to see Figment back. We had a great time, and then in the Imageworks, the kids had a real blast! We must have spent about 30-60 mins in there.

Next up, Barbara had to try the Beverly (ew, this stuff is still gross)!!!! The Cool Post was great, but Dave and Sarah really missed Ice Station Cool. Trying all the free samples of Coke products from around the globe is always a great treat. Sarah and Dave loved the Watermelon as usual; Barbara and Mikey were quite taken with the Ginger Ale (and Mikey loved that the cups were just his size). Suitably refreshed, the family enjoyed the wonders of the Universe of Energy. Next it was time to stroll to World Showcase to make our dinner reservations. We met a wonderful cast member from Spain who insisted on giving Mikey a free pin for his lanyard without trading. What a nice guy, and he did a great Donald Duck impression that we all loved.

We enjoyed the awesome tunes of Off Kilter – the excellent Canadian Celtic Rock band, followed by my favourite live entertainment at Walt Disney World – Mo Rockin. If you have never seen these guys, you must. Excellent fusion of eastern, world, latin percussion, pop, rock and jazz, complete with a belly dancer. Dave loved them so much; he had to buy their CD. Sadly, it was not to Barbara’s tastes, so we cut our concert short. But she did like the Taiko Drummers of Japan.

Dinner was at the Teppanyaki Mitsukoshi. We were seated with a very nice family from the Mid West. It was a real hit, enjoyed by all. We enjoyed seaweed and ginger salads, edamame (soya beans – a real hit with the kids). The ladies and kids enjoyed the steak and chicken platter, while dad feasted on the steak and shrimp combo, with beautiful green tea and ice cream. The onion volcanoes were fun, and the juggling skills of our chef were excellent. Dave was very excited as many of the wait staff had previously worked at Tokyo Disneyland and the service was excellent. Then we had a great conversation with the manager who explained that the restaurant will have a grand refurbishment in the New Year. We look forward to seeing the results.

After a little shopping in Mitsukoshi (and meeting some of the Japanese execs on a quality control visit), we enjoyed the Tin Toy exhibit, with a lovely introduction by John Lasseter. Another TDL ex cast member was there with the kidcot stop and made an origami bow tie for Mikey while he slept on.

As the Baloos explored Italy, the heavens opened up. Thankfully it didn’t last long, but as we found a great bench to sit down and enjoy a drink between China and Norway, we decided to perch and wait for Illuminations (for an hour). Mikey awoke to enjoy the amazing show. Jessie slept through it obliviously. Barbara was blown away. So with a spring in our step, we made it back to the room for 11:30 – exhausted. Epcot does truly stand for Every Person Comes Out Tired – or in our case – Every Person Cherishes Our Time.

Day 5 – Magic Kingdom (via Epcot), Whispering Canyon and meeting Em Thursday 30th Nov

Day 5 – MagicKingdom (via Epcot), WhisperingCanyon and meeting Em Thursday 30th November

Now being quite tired, we let nature wake us up instead of Stitch. We were glad we did as we woke up to a wonderful animal experience. As we drew open the curtains, there right in front of us stood four giraffes, two zebra, four gazelles, four ankole cattle, and four Tommies. AMAZING.

Breakfast at Mara was excellent – Breakfast Burritos, Mickey Waffles, Breakfast platters – eggs, bacon, potatoes, and a biscuit. We also enjoyed grapes, cinnamon rolls, and cherry danishes (didn’t like the Zebra Domes the day before – too rich).

Getting bored waiting for the bus to the MK; we boarded the bus to Epcot. We checked to see if Spaceship Earth was up – the queue was short and we hopped on. It was wonderful as always (despite stopping 3 times) and it was one of Mikey’s favourites. Like father, like son.

Onto the monorail and into the Magic Kingdom, then straight on to Fantasyland. We thoroughly enjoyed Philharmagic, and then It’s a Small World (Sarah and Barbara were disappointed as it’s poor compared to Paris – but the kids loved it). Jessie had her first carousel ride while perched astride a fine steed and it was magic. Then we enjoyed Winnie the Pooh (kids adored this one) shaking our heads at the new playground, we rode Snow White (a real waste compared to Paris and Anaheim). And then a couple of spins on the Tea Cups – Mikey’s favourite (and one of daddy’s). Jessica adored her first spin. Man, this family is so made for each other!

We left the Magic Kingdom and waited for the ferry to Wilderness Lodge. Cast member Tim entertained us as we waited by running a Disney trivia competition. Dave felt suitably challenged, but it led to great conversations on the ferry with a school teaching couple.

Arriving at the Wilderness Lodge, we fell in love all over again (did we say we loved Peter Dominic’s work). We had really been looking forward to Whispering Canyon, and it didn’t disappoint from playing with Lincoln Logs while waiting to the great Apple Cobbler. Rootbeer and all you can eat BBQ, how can you go wrong?! BJ or Bob the Kid was our server and we were in the Sequoia section (perfect as that is Mikey’s middle name, and Dave grew up near Sequoia National Park). Bob threw our straws and napkins on the table. Then as Dave had two rootbeers and asked for a third, BJ brought out a gallon jar of rootbeer with a long straw for Dave – warning everyone about his coke problem and not to get too near in the swimming pool. The food was great, and Mikey loved taking part in the Pony Express race. Bob told jokes and a bedtime story. It was a wonderful evening.

After dinner, it was into the Mercantile for a little shopping and meeting Em! It was great to finally meet after all these years. We chewed the fat probably for too long for Em’s good – she was working after all. But it was wonderful to finally meet.

Getting back was not fun though. A bus to downtown Disney and then AKL took nearly 2 hours with 2 sleeping kids. Not fun at all. In the same time frame for 1 AKL bus at DTD, 3 Coronado Springs buses went past. The buses kept getting worse until finally we found out later that the mini bus cabs have car seats. Wish we knew that sooner. Bed for midnight (still feeling like 5 am).

Day 6 – Movie Magic and a Star Wars Dream come true Friday 1 December – It is the yea

Day 6 – Movie Magic and a Star Wars Dream come true Friday 1 December – It is the year of a Million Dreams

Still not tired of the animals. This morning the Baloos awoke, greeted by a zebra, five Wildebeests, two kudu, one buffalo and a giraffe. Off to the Studios. Tower of Terror was awesome as always – though some people looking bored – this shocked us???!!! We can’t wait for this to open later next year in Paris. Next up was Playhouse Disney. Mikey and Jess really loved seeing Bear, JoJo, Stanley and Pooh (Mom and Dad were pretty star struck too – but they really loved seeing the kids’ reactions). We all enjoyed the Indiana Jones stunt show followed by lunch at the 50’s Prime Time Diner.

Dad enjoyed an electric cocktail with flashing ice cube, and we were seated swiftly. The Baloos were really looking forward to this meal, but it was a little underwhelming. It wasn’t bad, but our server paid lip service to the role – told us to get the elbows off the table and such. There were no Viewmaster Menus to be found either. A real shame. The food was quite good though, and as a server, our waitress was very good. We enjoyed Fried Cheese, Spicy Onion rings, Fried Chicken, and Meatloaf, Watermelon Soda, Blackberry Sprite, Cherry Coke (the real way), Chocolate Malt, Smores and Angel Food cake. Mikey loved his Pizza. It was good, but we were expecting more after the rave reviews.

After enjoying the Great Movie Ride, we waited for the parade, and had a great time. Cruela Deville and the Evil Queen from Snow White paid special attention to Mikey, while Sweetums from the Muppets took a shine to Sarah. It was a very enjoyable parade. Next on to Lights, Motors, Action. We enjoyed it in English, but the original in Paris seems to offer that little bit more with warm ups and extras. Also, we could not believe how lack lustre the crowd was compared to Europe. But we still loved it; it’s one of Daddy’s and Mikey’s favourite after all.

One of the most magical moments occurred in Star Tours. The Star Wars series is another key obsession of the baloo household. And Star Tours is one of our favourite attractions. Sadly, Mikey was 1 inch too short, yet in Paris, there is no height restriction, just an age restriction. Mikey has ridden it a half dozen times or so in Paris, but never in English. So Barbara and Daddy took Mikey through the queue (which he loved), but when it was boarding time, he couldn’t ride. A real shame. A cast member gave us a special boarding pass that he can use for front of line access when he is tall enough. We were then escorted to the exit while Nana rode.

Mikey was sat with a long face on the bench, sniffling, but putting on a brave face. A very bubbly cast member named Michelle came along and noticed Mikey in his Star Wars clothes, and daddy was wearing his Yoda socks with shorts. After chatting for a while, she asked us to stay put and wait for Barbara. When Barbara came out, we were escorted back to the loading area. We were given a back stage tour and were able to ask any questions. They showed us the computer system – for Dave as a techno Star Wars Disney nerd, he was in high heaven. Then we were escorted to our very own Star Speeder where we were able to ride, just the three of us, without any motion. Mikey loved it and shook himself to get into it. And as we exited, Michael was given a certificate, and the three cast members involved in the experience gave Dave and Mikey one of the finest Disney memories ever. Absolutely amazing.

After enjoying Fantasmic (Disneyland’s version is still much better – but it was Barbara’s favourite night time show), and a 40-minute wait for the bus, we made our way back to the hotel. We enjoyed dinner at the Mara – Double Bacon Cheeseburger and Melon, Fish and Chips with Cheesecake, and African Stew in a bread bowl with Pecan Pie. Excellent meal for a quick service restaurant. But what made this really great was having dinner with our very good UKFAN posse friends. Mikey was tickled pink that his friend Emerson was there (and daddy was very pleased to see Kieran and Liesl). If the Baloos bump into them at Disneyland or Tokyo, we know they are stalkers! Always a pleasure.

Photos anyone?

Here are some of our pictures:

http://www.kodakgallery.co.uk/Slide...a8td25.9b9qm6l9&Uy=x6wnh1&Ux=0&localeid=en_GB

Sounds like you had a great time - thanks for sharing your trip

We did have a great time. I hope to finish it soon, with just 5 more days to write up.

Day 7 – Magic Kingdom Mayhem – Pop Warner + Parade filming = unpleasant MK

Day 7 – Magic Kingdom Mayhem – Pop Warner + Parade filming = unpleasant MK

Although originally we were interested in seeing the filming of the Christmas Parade, we found out that they virtually cast the audience and there is a lot of waiting around (not cool with a couple of little ones). We had very difficult to come by reservations in the Liberty Tree Tavern for an early dinner. Being exhausted, we decided to enjoy our resort in the morning. After a lazy start and slow breakfast at the Mara (where we met some other crazy Brits that travel to Disney parks around the globe!!!!), we enjoyed the pool as a family. Mikey loved it and didn’t want to leave. Jess, was too cold, and wanted to get out (it’s a shame, she normally loves swimming). We enjoyed the spa and then Mikey got a real kick out of the flamingos, and speaking with with African cast members. Getting back up to the room, the kids had a nap.
The MK bus just pulled out as we arrived at the bus stop, so we hopped the next one to Epcot, using the Monorail and ferry to get to the MK for 3pm (unbelievable – we are normally rope drop people). The MK was heaving!!!! We wanted to get Jessica’s first haircut done, but there were over 15 parties in the queue at the barber shop. We shopped in the Emporium and then checked out the tip boards. Buzz at 90 mins – ouch, I thought this was supposed to be the quiet season!?!! The park was full of cheerleaders and football players, plus their families.
We went to the Hall of Presidents. Dave was nervous as a patriotic American; he didn’t know how this would go down with his British MIL or the kids. Thankfully everyone loved it, and Nana even asked if the AA’s were real! It was a hit.
After the show, we went to the Liberty Tree Tavern for dinner. It was great as always, the salad, Turkey, Ham and Prime Rib (though Dave found the beef salty), potatoes, stuffing, Mac n Cheese, and green beans (sorry Labuda, nothing special about these in our humble opinion). We had lashings of Birch Beer and Pink Lemonade. The Apple Cobbler was great too and we were stuffed. The character experience was excellent with Goofy, Pluto, Chip & Dale and Minnie. The kids (and adults) got a real kick out of it. A great meal experience.
After dinner, we ventured over to the Haunted Mansion and met DLFAN79 who was a cast member there. It was a great surprise, and I wish we had time to talk longer – oh, well, next time. Barbara was disappointed compared to Paris, but Dave fell in love with the Leota grave stone – awesome. Sarah enjoyed her trip through the mansion, but we were disappointed with the number of people talking in the portrait chamber, one could barely hear it.
After the Mansion, we found some good spots for Spectromagic in Liberty Square, where we were able to sit on a wall to enjoy it. This was a new experience for us as previous trips it was the Main Street Electrical Parade (our favourite). Dave has seen various versions of the MSEP through the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s at DL, WDW and DLP. And we have enjoyed Fantallusion at DLP. We had heard mixed reviews of this parade and were quite excited to make up our own minds. Well we loved it! Not as good as the MSEP but better than Fantallusion in our minds. Very enjoyable.
From there, we made our way to the bridge from Liberty Square to Main Street and staked out a spot for the Wishes fireworks presentation. We had enjoyed this a number of times from our balcony, but not yet in the park. We thought we found a great spot with a clear view of the Castle. Sadly, most of our view was obscured by the trees and we could not move due to the people. After the parade, it was like being in a Salmon run – not great with little ones. Did I say this was the quiet season? It used to be, but not anymore.
Stitch Encounter was a walk on. Sarah and Dave had to try it our after the poor reviews. While Dave missed Alien Encounter, Sarah most definitely did not. We liked it. The AA is awesome and the show is cute. The chilli dog smell when he burps is pretty gross though! Dave wanted to play some more, but the kids and nana were tired, so we high tailed it down Main Street. We watched about half of the 2nd Spectromagic Parade from Town Square and then tried to catch the bus before the crowds mounted up. We got to the bus stop as a bus pulled up, but it was too full for us to fit. 25 mins later another one pulled up and tried to load some disabled passengers. The wheelchair lift broke down, and finally another bus came about 15 minutes later to pick us up – gotta love the buses (not). On the bright side, while we waited, we were able to enjoy the Electrical Water Pageant.
When we got back to the room there were two packages waiting for us – a treat pack from our LP Winter Bash Pal (kind of like a secret santa) to enjoy at the resort – thanks to tiggerdis and her elf for making it so magical. And our reveal gift. It was a wonderful surprise to come back to – we couldn’t believe it!
Sadly, Mikey and Jess both had developed colds. We were up virtually all night screaming kids (after going to bed at 1 am). Thankfully the resort were able to supply some cough medicine! Bummer – it’s normally Sarah or Dave’s job to get sick on vacation, not the kids. Still though, it was a pretty cool day all around, even if we only managed 3 attractions.

Day 8 – Laughing Place Meet at Epcot and Marie Osmond – Sunday 3rd December

Day 8 – Laughing Place Meet at Epcot and Marie Osmond – Sunday 3rd December

Well after a rough night, the kids seemed much better in the morning. After a light breakfast we headed out for about 10. It took nearly and hour and a half to get to Epcot, get through security, through the gates and over to the Seas with Nemo for our Laughing Place meet. Did I say how much we loved the WDW buses?

But when we got to the Seas, we were overjoyed. Em was there, and we finally met Kennesaw Tom and Kennesaw Joe. The UKFAN posse came along a few minutes later. And the real surprise was seeing Doobie and Rebekah. They had not RSVPed on the thread, so it was an unexpected treat. Having met Doobekah in DL in 2002, it was great to catch up. Old friends, and new old friends (it’s great how the internet bring people together) queued for the new Nemo Dark ride. We all enjoyed it, and thought is was very clever. Mikey and Jess really loved it. Sadly, the Angler fish was 101. That’s two major new AA’s that didn’t work. Dave felt jinxed. But overall, a great family attraction.

Off to the Land next, but when we arrived, there had been a power outage. So we grabbed some lunch at Sunshine Seasons again. We sat talking for a few hours. It was really great to catch up, and the time just flew. We had a great time and were thrilled to bits to be with so many friends that share a love of Disney. Nana and Mikey took another trip on Living with the Land, and then all the adults went on Soarin’ while Nana watched the kids. We asked nicely to sit in the front, and had a great time, especially as we heard the squeals of delight from UKFAN’s sister Liesl. It was great!

It was time to go our separate ways. The Baloos took a friendship launch with the UKFAN posse to Morocco and parted for a short while. The Baloos went to dinner at Marrakesh, while the UKFANs went to China. We were uncertain about restaurant Marrakesh, but as the Baloos really enjoyed their trip to Dubai a few years ago, it had to be tried. The décor and service were excellent, as was the live music and belly dancer! The Iced Mint tea was also very refreshing.

The three adults had the mixed sampler, while the kids had the vegetable cous cous. The starter was a lovely lentil soup (not normally our 1st choice, but this was very good, accompanied by the Bawat rolls – kind of like a spring roll full of minced beef and covered in sugar and cinnamon – excellent. The main course was an Olive Lemon Chicken (very nice), vegetable cous cous (Sarah was the only one that liked it) and a lamb dish (ok, but a bit fatty). Dessert consisted of nutty, honey pastries – ok, but nothing to write home about. Over all we enjoyed the experience, but the food was our least favourite table service meal. I would still recommend it for people to try at least once.

After dinner we shopped in Morocco, visited Aladdin and the Genie, and the ladies had some Henna Tattoos done. Mikey was fascinated by this and even had a star tattooed on his arm – he was very upset when it wore off here in the UK a couple of weeks later.

Next, it was time to get in line for that candlelight processional. Sadly, we got separated from Nana. Mama took about 40 minutes to find her, while the kids had a melt down with Dad. Dave just wanted to crawl into a hole. Thankfully, the UKFAN posse heard the noise and Emerson came over and played with Mikey while Dave tended to Jessica’s needs. Finally Sarah and Barbara hooked up and we entered the theatre to see Marie Osmond’s last performance of the Candlelight Processional. Dave has always had a crush on Marie – she was wonderful and we all thoroughly enjoyed the show.

We then found a nice spot for Illuminations between Japan and Morocco and thoroughly enjoyed the show. Man, Illuminations can never get old in our books. It is just awesome!

The Baloos and the UKFAN posse sauntered back through World Showcase and did a little Christmas shopping together. Then when we got to the gate, we went our separate ways. Mikey didn’t want Emerson to go and he was sad to call it a day!