So here we are again… Another amazing trip is over.
My original title for the is report was:
The Best-Laid Plans Of The Mouse & Men… because so many of our carefully thought out schedules & plans were completely turned upside down by Irma and other “forces” along the way.
However, Ross and Julia who do not share my love for Robert Burns or John Steinbeck vetoed that and came up with their own title. Before I begin our tale, I want to express and offer our thoughts and prayers to all who suffered in Hurricane Irma as well as Harvey & Maria. There are times when I joke about the fact that we were in Florida during the hurricane, but in no way do I not realize the devastation that was caused to so many.
That being said... Let the Trip Report begin! Who’s in?
After our cold break, we rode 7DMT. We made it back to Snow White’s cottage and then we split up. Julia and I went to ride Space Mountain while Ross and Hope went somewhere else. Julia and I waited for Ross and Hope in the gift shop. When we reunited, we all went to see Monster’s Laugh Floor and then rode Buzz. I have no idea why I can't find any of my photopass pictures from this day.
Hope wanted to watch FOF so we found a spot in Frontierland and watched. Now originally, we had planned to sty in MK until 3:00PM and then leave. But we were so hungry; we decided we needed to eat something. Since we were right outside Pecos Bills, we decided to grab something there. Hope got Mac & Cheese, Ross got the fajita platter, I got nachos and Julia wanted a plain hamburger. The hamburgers on the menu all featured lots of add-ons, but she just wanted it plain, so we asked if we could get it that way. Now I know that if you order something from the allergy menu, it can take a while… but I didn’t find a plain hamburger to be as challenging. But holy guacamole - I was so wrong. We stood there and waited 25 minutes for our order!
Finally, we made it back to our table where Julia and Hope were sitting and began to eat. As we dished out everyone’s food, we realized there was an extra meal on our tray. I knew they would just throw it out if we brought it back, so we just left it alone. If felt like turning around and giving out to another family, but I figured they would have thought I was crazy.
As we ate, we discussed our next dilemma – should we head to Epcot or ride Jungle Cruise. Since we had a return time, it seemed silly not to ride it once, so we walked over. As we waited, one of the CM’s had just earned her ears so the other skippers made an announcement and made a big deal about it. It was pretty fun to watch. I had to chuckle as this boat sailed by. Hope was hoping we would get that one, but nope – I told her one Irma experience was enough for this trip.
I don’t know why, but I didn’t enjoy the ride as much as I wanted to. Like the Tiki room, I think my memories of it are better than what I experienced now. So I was a little sad.
Since Figment would be closing at 7:00, we headed that way first.
Followed by a last viewing of the Pixar Film Festival. (Until, Hope realized these shorts play on Netflix, so we watch them often.)
We walked over to ride Soarin. Julia was a little sad to be riding on the bottom row, she loves when we fly up in the top row. Oh well, it was still an awesome ride. As we left the theater, we waited for the masses to go ahead of us and then made our way out.
As we were deciding what to do next, we realized we still had not ridden Jungle Cruise so I walked up to ask for a return time. As I walked up, it started to rain.
Ross and the girls were standing up by the camel waiting for me. Just as the CM scanned my MB, the rain changed into a downpour. I made a dash to where I had left my family, but they were nowhere to be found. Apparently, Ross had taken the girls to find shelter away from the monsoon of a downpour. You may be thinking to yourself, “No problem - just call your husband.” But my phone was on the charger in the stroller so I had no way to get in touch with them. I walked back to the JC entrance – they were not there. I was getting really upset and very wet because the rain was brutal. Finally I spotted him. He had left the girls to find me and we were both walking in the rain trying to locate the other. I was wet, cold and extremely grumpy.
It was clearly time for an Ice cream break. I was so sad… my last dole whip for another year.
We walked over to ride Soarin. Julia was a little sad to be riding on the bottom row, she loves when we fly up in the top row. Oh well, it was still an awesome ride. As we left the theater, we waited for the masses to go ahead of us and then made our way out.
As we were walking out of Soarin, I heard a strange noise that sounded like a grunt. I turned around to see Ross slumping over, catching his fall as Hope’s stroller, that he was pushing, sailed a few feet in front of him. I didn’t know what the heck he was doing. Was he joking around and pretending to fall? Then I got scared… was he having a heart attack? Then I noticed Julia behind him - paralyzed and looking horrified. I was standing there trying to figure out what was going on when I noticed Ross started to walk again - but was limping. We all looked down at his feet and noticed that his one shoe was hanging off his foot! Apparently, Julia stepped on his foot… well to be more specific, the back of his shoe/sandal. When he stepped forward, with her foot still there, he ripped his entire shoe apart. The strap separated from the rest of it, and the bottom sole was just hanging there. He couldn’t take a step without the entire bottom of the shoe flapping away
He starred at me looking in total shock. “What just happened? My shoe… What happened? “
When I realized what just took place, I busted out in total hysterical laughing. I couldn’t help it. Here he was with his shoe completely ripped apart and in complete despair about it.
You also have to understand something, these particular sandals were Ross’ favorite and have been his ONLY sandals for the last 5 years.
I suggested we take a taxi to Target to get him new shoes. You see, Ross only travels with one pair of shoes – the ones he is wearing, so he had no other footwear to use. He refused immediately. The thought of paying to take a taxi or Uber to a store was not sitting well with him. “I’ll be fine.” He said and decided to walk with only one shoe on.
So here we were on our final day in Epcot, with my husband with one bare foot, my oldest daughter mortified with embarrassment, and me hysterically laughing, trying to capture the moment in photos for my TR – which was upsetting my one barefoot husband who had no usable footwear for the rest of our trip.
He attempted putting what was left of his sandal back on. He hobbled along taking one normal step and then having to move his injured shoe, ever so gently, an inch at a time until it reached his other foot.
This went on until we approached the section of EPCOT next to the Character M&G where there is a kiosk that sells Crocs. I pointed them out and told Ross to go find his size.
He found a pair and plopped then on the ground to try them on. I told him to go pay for them so he popped the price tag off and waked it over to the CM. That’s when he looked at the price… $50.00! Have I mentioned my husband is a little on the cheap side?
I didn’t understand why he was standing there hesitating. “Are you buying them?” I asked him. He told me to keep walking ahead. (He was upset that I was laughing and trying to take pictures of the entire calamity so he wasn’t too happy.) I told him, “Just buy them and come on!” He looked at me and repeated again, “Just keep walking.”
I didn’t understand what his problem was so I walked over to him. Then he started complaining about the price, “These are $50.00! I can buy them from the Flea Market for $8.00! How can they charge $50.00 for $8.00 shoes? No one will notice if I just walk away with them – just keep walking.”
I was shocked, disgusted and appalled. I really couldn’t believe what was coming out of his mouth. I wondered if Julia stepped on his foot or his brain? I told him he was crazy and to just buy the shoes.
He lowered his head like a scolded child and went to the register and held up his MB in defeat. Finally, with the new Crocs purchased, we began walking again.
We started on our way to Mission Space, but Ross was still lagging behind.
As we got closer, Ross stopped walking. I turned around and yelled at him, “Now what?” He looked so pathetic, as though he was going to cry. “My feet hurt. These things (Crocs) have bumps on the bottom and my feet hurt.”
I shook my head and kept walking until I heard him behind me yelling.
“What just happened?” Ross called out. I stopped and turned again to find him having a meltdown. “Everything was fine,,, and now my shoe… SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT JUST HAPPENED?... “
We made it to MS and tried to ignore my poor pouty husband who will now hopefully learn to travel with more than one pair of shoes.
After MS we did one more spin on Spaceship Earth and then a final race on TT.
Then it was time to say goodbye to EPCOT.
We all walked (Ross hobbled) sadly to the bus stop.
And if you think the great EPCOT shoe debacle is done, I would have to say, the night is not over yet.
Apparently, having a child with severe Autism has allowed me to develop an extreme amount of patience. In all honesty, I did feel bad for him, but I couldn't stop laughing at the situation.
The bus line for POR was crazy again, so since we all had such a nice time at FQ the previous night, we decided to do it again. We boarded the FQ bus and soon were feasting on beignets and ice cream. Hope fell asleep soon after as we made the walk back to our room.
It was quite night and it was hard to believe the end of our vacation was upon us. I decided to leave the packing for the morning and we all fell asleep.
Or so I thought…
Ross was still not ready to give up on his beloved sandals. So after the rest of us had gone to sleep, he walked to the front desk and asked to borrow a stapler. He settled himself in one of the seats near the food court entrance and began to staple his shoe together. He said it took him a bit of time to get it just right, but he felt he was successful and feeling proud of himself, returned the stapler and made the journey back to the room. His happiness was cut short when upon the first step inside the room, the staples pulled loose and he was back where he started.
Undeterred, he returned to the front desk and once again asked to borrow the stapler. This time he asked if they would mind him bringing it to his room and then returning it in a little while. They said no problem and he and his trusty stapler returned to the room. He went back to work on reconstructing his sandal. On the second try, he only made it a few feet out of the door before the staples pulled loose. On the third try he made it all the way to the front desk and back again, before the sandals once again pulled apart. He finally went to sleep.
This whole episode took about 3 hours so he didn’t get to bed until almost 3 in the morning.
Up next: Our No-Stress Departure (sarcasm) and John Wayne Saves The Day
The bus line for POR was crazy again, so since we all had such a nice time at FQ the previous night, we decided to do it again. We boarded the FQ bus and soon were feasting on beignets and ice cream. Hope fell asleep soon after as we made the walk back to our room.
It was quite night and it was hard to believe the end of our vacation was upon us. I decided to leave the packing for the morning and we all fell asleep.
Or so I thought…
Ross was still not ready to give up on his beloved sandals. So after the rest of us had gone to sleep, he walked to the front desk and asked to borrow a stapler. He settled himself in one of the seats near the food court entrance and began to staple his shoe together. He said it took him a bit of time to get it just right, but he felt he was successful and feeling proud of himself, returned the stapler and made the journey back to the room. His happiness was cut short when upon the first step inside the room, the staples pulled loose and he was back where he started.
Undeterred, he returned to the front desk and once again asked to borrow the stapler. This time he asked if they would mind him bringing it to his room and then returning it in a little while. They said no problem and he and his trusty stapler returned to the room. He went back to work on reconstructing his sandal. On the second try, he only made it a few feet out of the door before the staples pulled loose. On the third try he made it all the way to the front desk and back again, before the sandals once again pulled apart. He finally went to sleep.
This whole episode took about 3 hours so he didn’t get to bed until almost 3 in the morning.
Up next: Our No-Stress Departure (sarcasm) and John Wayne Saves The Day
Apparently, having a child with severe Autism has allowed me to develop an extreme amount of patience. In all honesty, I did feel bad for him, but I couldn't stop laughing at the situation.
Our last day at WDW is always my least favorite, not just because of the obvious reason, which was leaving, but in the manner in which we left – in a hysterical rush. It was always a day of trying to get on every attraction one last time and then not wanting to ever leave MK, followed by a mad dash to the bus back to the resort . Of course, then we would always be scrambling to get those last snack credits used while trying not to miss ME back to the airport.
I HATED it. I decided this year, we would not do a theme park on our last day. Instead we would visit a water park and relax a little before leisurely departing. We had a late flight back to Newark so that meant the Tragical Express would not pick us up until 6:30PM. We would NOT have to race back to the hotel. We would NOT scramble to use snack credits. And there would NOT be a final dash with the worry of missing ME.
We woke up and got everything packed up. Ross told me about his late night staple adventures which I didn’t believe at first – until he showed me the staples in his shoe. I was a little happy that his attempts to repair it failed because I imagined the episode going through TSA if their scanners would have detected the staples.
We had breakfast in the room so I could pack while everyone else could eat and then we called Bell Services to come get our bags.
Look, @Matt and Kelly I too have a problem with travel size toiletries. I admit it… I stash them away during our trip and use them throughout the year – they come in so handy and of course the reminder of WDW as we use them is nice too. So our Mousekeeper left me a present on our final day…
Originally, the girls and I planned to go to BB today. We wanted to start with a round of golf and then relax in the water. Ross had his day planned quite differently. Since he still had a one-day park admission left, he was going to go to at least one park. I made him FP selections for AK so he wanted to start there. He said he would meet us at BB eventually.
However, with the great EPCOT shoe debacle, he could not imagine walking around in his new Crocs that were painfully antagonizing his feet. Another problem would be his MB. Remember his MB only worked for admission – it was Julia’s extra MB that he was wearing that allowed him to charge and we weren’t sure if that would work if she weren’t in the park. So he decided to join us at BB knowing that he could walk around barefoot most of the time. After his meltdown and brush with a life of crime, I figured it would be best to have him close by.
To be honest, I knew he would have never walked away with the Crocs. He’s just not like that. Ironically, if he had stumbled upon a family who was having a similar problem and didn’t have enough money to buy shoes, Ross would think nothing of buying them to help someone out regardless of the price, but to pay that money for himself, he just had a hard time stomaching.
Soon we were on our way to AK and hopped another bus for BB. But before we hit the water, we decided to play some golf. Since we played the winter course last year, this time we gave summer a try. It was lots of fun.
