Trip Report The ONE with the Bowl that was not so Super 🚽 2/5-2/9, 2021*COMPLETED*

HA HA HA!!!
Hello everybody! I returned yesterday from a last minute long weekend to WDW.
How? Who? Why? You ask. Well my Magical friends, here is everything you want to know, and maybe some things, you don’t.

It all began a few weeks ago at work when my bff/boss suggested we go to Disney for his birthday. I took him last year and we had a great time. We looked at dates and flights and room rates and hemmed and hawed for a couple days. We decided we would go President’s weekend. But my kids would be out of school and they would want to go. Then, texting with @Tuvalu she said “you’re going president’s weekend!?!?”

Ok, she didn’t say it like that but that is how I heard it in my mind. I said to my friend, M, “what the heck are we thinking? Let’s go the weekend before.” His sister/business partner/my other boss gave her blessing (then promptly booked a whole week in Florida for herself at the end of the month) and we started looking at rooms.
Pop was cheap with the AP discount so I booked.

We picked out our flights, then added a day and picked out new flights. Friday came, my day off and two weeks before departure and we had decided on everything. All we had to do was book the flights, which were $69 each way. Then I looked again and the flights were down to $49 each way. I texted M, “BOOK BOOK BOOK! This is not a drill!!!”

Then Saturday came and I canceled Pop and booked a studio at Saratoga Springs Resort using my DVC points. Bought M’s park ticket and made park reservations and some ADR’s. I also filled out the Magical Express request form and ordered a couple t-shirts.

13 days to go and we were all set.

 

[Darstarr]

Great minds think alike!

 

[donaldtoo]

Now that was a summer. We went to WDW in August that year and cooled off!

Indeed it was...it was the summer we tied our record high here of 112* from the summer of 2000...!!!!!

It’s more humid in Central Florida, but, it gets hotter here in Central Texas, so it’s pretty much a wash. All of our big family WDW trips have been taken in July, with the exception of one in June, and we’ve never had any heat-related issues. Even when park hoppin’ all day long with no breaks back at the resort, including those 2a EMH’s. We’ve really ever only used the resort to crash and clean up...have a feelin’ that’ll change with our planned November trip with our granddaughters (next one is due in July ), though...!!!!!

 

[donaldtoo]

Sunday February 7 cont

After lunch we headed over to Buzz.
More often then not I get a gun that is not working properly.

 

[Tuvalu]

M said, “so glad we went when we did and not President’s weekend!”

 

[donaldtoo]

Sunday February 7 cont

We made it to Canada eh!
I put X’s friends in the poutine line with a gift card and X, M and I went to the beer cart for 5 Mooseheads.

This is the pix I usually send to X. This time X sent it to his Canadian friend who was suppose to come but chickened out.
View attachment 533477
Aaaaah......beer!
I sent this pix to my husband...
View attachment 533475
In return he sent me this picture:
View attachment 533474
Note to self: don’t send any pictures home
View attachment 533476
No way in heck I was poutine that in my mouth!!! When it came to fries I was still firmly in the just say no camp.

Next:
View attachment 533479
I knew M really wanted the raspberry soft serve ice cream. He had been talking about it ever since I gave him the menus a week prior. I have no idea why. It was just ice cream. We all wondered what peanut butter porter would taste like so I also got a flight.
View attachment 533478
View attachment 533480
It had a peanut butter taste to it. I didnt care for it.
I don’t think any of us did. They ro sham boed to see who had to drink it.

Then the princesses graced us with their presence.
View attachment 533482
View attachment 533483

“...poutine that in my mouth!!!”...!!!!!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I was looking at a Peanut Butter Porter in the store yesterday, maybe it was from the same brewing company. I ultimately decided against it. Now that you say it wasn't great I'm glad I passed on it but I also now want to try it.

 

[Darstarr]

 

[Darstarr]

I was looking at a Peanut Butter Porter in the store yesterday, maybe it was from the same brewing company. I ultimately decided against it. Now that you say it wasn't great I'm glad I passed on it but I also now want to try it.

I don’t recommend a six pack but if you can buy a single then go for it. Hey! You might like it!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I don’t recommend a six pack but if you can buy a single then go for it. Hey! You might like it!

Single cans were available, but I won't rush back to get it. Maybe next time I actually go in the grocery store instead of doing pick up.

 

[Darstarr]

Sunday February 7 cont

X made the call, he wanted to go clockwise so he could end in England with fish and chips. Sounds like a well thought out and solid plan.

After ice cream and peanut butter porter we stopped at the booth near Mexico, El Artista Hambriento and got a Chile Relieno...

which was yummy,
Pork Belly Pastor...

which tasted like pork belly (ie a chunk of fat! I don’t know why pork belly is so trendy right now but it is one trend I could totally do without! Like shoulder pads!)

We also got two Diego Pomegranate Margaritas...

which were goodish. The Hibiscus salt rim was yum but there was a smoky component to it. Perhaps it was the tequila they used. But it wasn’t a good smoke like bbq. It was more like a my house is on fire acrid flavor smoke. With a different tequila these would be my new favorite I think.

We also got a Tulim Artisanal Lager...

which we all liked and I loved the bottle!

So three drinks and two food items. This is how I planned on controlling the boys, by sharing drinks and snacking.

I actually yelled “I love you Pluto!”
Tequila, it gets me everytime.

X’s friend was saying how he loved tequila so I mentioned there was a tequila bar inside the Mexico pavilion. All three of their heads shot up and they looked at each other. So into the pavilion we went. Thank goodness the line for tequila was long or they never would have made it around the world. Heck they never would have made it out of North America!

Consolation prize was a stop in the restroom and the boat ride.

shhhh....I think X is napping

 

[Darstarr]

Sunday February 7 cont

Next up was Norway. I really like the Auss beer but they did not have it. My plan was to order one Auss and one Einstock and have a taste test with the boys. (Sharingthat was the plan!) While I was fretting about them no longer carrying Auss, X ordered 3 Einstocks
So I ordered this:

Not bad. But be warned, stir it. Stir it very well.
We “sat” lakeside and enjoyed our drinks.

What could they possibly be doing on their phones?
X started to show some FLID tendencies. He would call or face time someone and then say “can I call you back? I am really busy.” He called my husband and he was like “yeah sure”. He called his girlfriend and she said “go eff yourself!”
I think my boy may be a FLID

Next up was China. These birds looked pretty cool.

Or maybe it was the tequila still.

I ordered the food, X ordered the beers. Ugggh.

M and I drank water and kept our hands clear as the boys demolished the food.

I needed to take control back. They were drinking too many too fast. Germany was next and X had been hyping up the pretzel. Great! I gave him a gift card to get the pretzel and I got in the line for some of the small plates. When we met up at the table he had also purchased 3 of the grapefruit beers.
No! No! No!
They loved their pretzel and beers.

And I loved the Red Wine Braised Beef Short Rib and the Coq Au Vin. And M loved his chocolate chip cookie. The boys helped with the food and cookie, naturally.

 

[Tuvalu]

I hope M painted his cookie.
The tinys did....and while messy, the “paint” added a nice flavor to the cookie.

 

[Darstarr]

It Sunday February 7 cont

We made it to Italy. It was just before 6:30 (kick off for the other bowl) and everything was quiet.

The males went to the Men’s room and I went to see if the pizza window was open. Remember I said M is pickey? He had the ice cream and the cookie so far in our tour around the world. And a little bit of the pretzel. I was hoping to get him some food but it was not open.
Instead I got a Bellini. I have to say, it wasn’t great because it was premixed and therefore was flat. These mixed drinks are always so hit or miss so I usually stick to beer but I was determined to try new things.

The boys came back from the restroom with drinks. X still had the GC I gave him for the pretzelI have no idea what they were drinking. (Also, my camera was doing some wierd thing were it was taking three seconds to take the picture. Who stays still for three aeconds. I kept trying to put it back to a regular setting but it kept switching back like it was smarter than me. Thus, the blurry photo.)

X was being a real jerk. The game had begun and he was trying to watch it on his phone. I suggested trying the Rose n Crown to see if they had it on. If not, I told them go back to the room, order pizza and drink the beer in the fridge.
He wanted to have his cake and eat it too. That is, he wanted to watch the game AND drink around the world.
Whatever. Good luck with that!

I just knew I had to regain control of this mess.
How about a picture?!?
There was a 3P hanging out by the water. He was checking lighting or flash or who knows what. I asked if he was available. He nodded and then we waited and waited and waited. He continued to check and flash and adjust etc. He put us in position and continued to fiddle. We were all getting antsy. Finally he was done.

This is not that great for the amount of time invested.

Also, as soon as Gronk scored X stopped being a tool. Seems he had a friendly bet with one of his buddies about who would score first in the game. He is very competitive.

 

[Darstarr]

I hope M painted his cookie.
The tinys did....and while messy, the “paint” added a nice flavor to the cookie.

I think he was too hungry. Before the trip he said he was going to try new things. The reality was, nope!
Was the “paint” flavored? And were they different flavors??

 

[Tuvalu]

I think he was too hungry. Before the trip he said he was going to try new things. The reality was, nope!
Was the “paint” flavored? And were they different flavors??

Paint tasted like vanilla glaze.
I’m going to assume it was the same base and food coloring was added.
Because red tasted like yellow (and brown/purplish gray ~ the end result of giving preschoolers paint brushes!)

 

[Darstarr]

Sunday February 7 cont

America, America Gronk shed his grace on thee.
All was smiles and jokes again as we entered the American pavilion.

The next day Tuvalu and I were sending messages back and forth and I sent her a picture from the night. She commented that it looked as if there were a lot of imbibing. I replied that I tried to keep them on a short leash but somewhere I dropped it. Well, America is where I picked that leash up again!
(To the boys disappointment But seriously, what are we going to get? 5 buds please? Hard hard pass!!!)

I got us a beer flight. I do not remember what exactly was in it. Apparently, I did not buy it from the festival booth but from the regular drink stand so it is not in my booklet. I will tell you it was two ciders an ale and an IPA.

I remember, it was a Scrimshaw something er other I think, because X complained he had wanted a big one all to himself. It was nasty and no one liked it. No one liked the ale either. The light cider tasted like nothing. Seriously! It was as if we had all lost our taste buds at the same time. Our favorite was the rose cider so that will tell you how dismal the flight was.

I watched the Voices of Liberty for a bit while they (X) whined about the flight.

I was sitting at the top of the theatre on a bench, no one within 20 feet of me in either direction. A lady comes and stand directly in front of me. What???
So naturally I get up, leaving M on the bench and stand in front of her and take the above picture. (FLID alert) As if on cue, the three boys come and stand with me. We were now a 6x9 wall. It shouldn’t, but it made me happy. Also, the boys dug the VoL (or they were humoring me because I was paying)

Next was Japan and 4 Kirins on draft.

I really like this beer. I think I mentioned before, I use to work in a fish market/restaurant on the pier when I was younger. We had a huge Japanese clientele so we had Kirin on draft. Epcot is the only other place I have seen it on tap. But I don’t get out much sooooo, there is that.

Then we headed to Morocco. Leash firmly in hand I got one Casa beer to share.

Next was France!

First stop was the restroom, inside. Inside?Why inside and not outside in the large new restroom. Well, leash in hand, I knew the inside would take longer. I was stalling a little bit.

M and I shopped for his niece R who was working for him while he was away having fun! She loves France and we picked out a cheesy Eiffel tower with a Mickey on it and a small reusable bag to carry it in.

M had been craving a Grande Marnier slushee since Canada. I got him one of his own...

And I bought the boys and I two Frozen French Martinis. They were really really good. I like them better than the Grand Marnier Slushee (heresy @DisneyGigi , I know)

Cultural representatives are not currently working in Epcot. However, the CM helping me with the drinks was channeling her best French impersonation. (ie, she was a total beach!)
Two woman had purchased a drink and had stepped to the side, about 5.5 feet away. The drink was filled to the top so one woman pulled down her mask to take a sip from the straw. She then offered the drink to the other woman who also pulled down her mask to take a sip. Lady number one was holding the drink with two hands, keeping it steady for lady number two while she drank. The “French” CM barked at them (#1) to wear her mask unless actively eating or drinking. It was so rude. Obviously lady #1 did not have a free hand at that exact second. Also, they were just standing there, not walking and not near anyone. Anyhow, it annoyed me.
I looked down and saw the hand sanitizer, which I never use (why are we using anti bacterial to fight a virus?), and I put my hand under it. Nothing. Dryly I said, “you are out of hand sanitizer.” She replied, “they haven’t been around to fill them.” As I picked up the drink I answered her in a really rude tone, “ that’s not acceptable.”

I returned to the boys.
“I think I may also be a FLID”, I admitted to them.

Her attitude really p*ss*d me off! I had those ladies backs even if they didn’t know it.

 

[FromMaldonia]

I needed to take control back. They were drinking too many too fast. Germany was next and X had been hyping up the pretzel. Great! I gave him a gift card to get the pretzel and I got in the line for some of the small plates. When we met up at the table he had also purchased 3 of the grapefruit beers.
No! No! No!
They loved their pretzel and beers.
View attachment 533777

So many drinks. But I'm pretty sure these grapefruit beers are only 2% ABV so that had to help a tiny bit. Really enjoying your report!

 

[Darstarr]

Sunday February 7 cont

We made it! England at last. The boys were quite pleased with themselves. I sent two of them to get a table and M, X and I ordered the beers and fish n chips. Silly me, I thought I could get three fish n chips to share (I knew M was not going to have any). Usually there are two pieces of fish. This time it had one very large piece. So I gave the boys each one and I sat and watched.

Then I got them seconds and they shared with me, a little bit

It was almost closing time but I wanted to take them on Test Track. I knew they would not want to go on a ride so I tricked them. I used the walls to my advantage to walk them “out”. When we just so happen to arrive at TT doorstep X called foul. But it was short lived because M noticed we no longer had R’s present. Aaaah, I left the bag in England next to the table.
I volunteered to go back and I told them to go on TT without me. X insisted on going. And running. Haha. X does not run!
I said we would wait for him as long as possible outside the ride. He took off running.

We waited. I spoke to the CM at the door and told her we were waiting for my son and why. I told her, let me know the last possible second we have to go inside and I asked what would happen if my son arrived a minute or so late. Would he be allowed in? She gestured to a woman I assumed was the boss and I assumed that meant no.

Boss lady and two other CM’s slowly started walking our way, checking their watches. This was it. We were out of time. And just like that X arrived with a girl right on his heels. Remember I said he was competitive??? She said she would beat him to Test Track. I know in my heart and brain the only reason he made it back in time was because it was a competition.
Also, he arrived in England to retrieve the bag just as security arrived to check it out

He was sucking wind and pulled his mask away from his face just a tad to get a breathe. Mean boss lady yelled at him. I moved X to the front of the pack and I took the rear, closest to mean boss lady.

We made it to the load area in about 10 minutes and climbed into our car.

They did the “yank on the yellow strap” spiel. All good. But then it wasn’t. I tried to get the CM’s attention but it was too late. Off we went. My seat belt was fine on top but there was a ton of slack across my lap and I could not get it to tighten. I pulled and pushed and fussed with it. I took my arm out to get better leverage but that just resulted in the top tightening up with my arm on the outside. (See photo)

When we got off I told the closest CM, “there is something wrong with that seatbelt.” I wanted them to know which car so maintenance could check it out. Nope, she handed me off to mean boss lady who gave me the third degree. Heck no lady! It’s broken, I didn’t do it, watch the film. Good night.

And one last photo on our way out.

The line at the bus stop was so long. We sat on the ground and waited.

When we got back I headed to the carriage house to get a couple complimentary tooth brushes.

 

[BrerWayne]

Indeed it was...it was the summer we tied our record high here of 112* from the summer of 2000...!!!!!

View attachment 533640

It’s more humid in Central Florida, but, it gets hotter here in Central Texas, so it’s pretty much a wash. All of our big family WDW trips have been taken in July, with the exception of one in June, and we’ve never had any heat-related issues. Even when park hoppin’ all day long with no breaks back at the resort, including those 2a EMH’s. We’ve really ever only used the resort to crash and clean up...have a feelin’ that’ll change with our planned November trip with our granddaughters (next one is due in July ), though...!!!!!

Just wanted to point out that in this gif in the background there is an elephant with its trunk pointed up.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

Sunday February 7 cont

Next up was Norway. I really like the Auss beer but they did not have it. My plan was to order one Auss and one Einstock and have a taste test with the boys. (Sharingthat was the plan!) While I was fretting about them no longer carrying Auss, X ordered 3 Einstocks
So I ordered this:
View attachment 533773
Not bad. But be warned, stir it. Stir it very well.
We “sat” lakeside and enjoyed our drinks.
View attachment 533775
What could they possibly be doing on their phones?
X started to show some FLID tendencies. He would call or face time someone and then say “can I call you back? I am really busy.” He called my husband and he was like “yeah sure”. He called his girlfriend and she said “go eff yourself!”
I think my boy may be a FLID

Next up was China. These birds looked pretty cool.
View attachment 533776
Or maybe it was the tequila still.

I ordered the food, X ordered the beers. Ugggh.
View attachment 533774
M and I drank water and kept our hands clear as the boys demolished the food.

I needed to take control back. They were drinking too many too fast. Germany was next and X had been hyping up the pretzel. Great! I gave him a gift card to get the pretzel and I got in the line for some of the small plates. When we met up at the table he had also purchased 3 of the grapefruit beers.
No! No! No!
They loved their pretzel and beers.
View attachment 533777
And I loved the Red Wine Braised Beef Short Rib and the Coq Au Vin. And M loved his chocolate chip cookie. The boys helped with the food and cookie, naturally.
View attachment 533778

Darn I pushed the wrong button and downloaded all of the above! Sorry, and now I'm almost too embarrassed to post my really good reply! Anyway, I was gonna say, tequila will tekill ya" or something really smart like that! I get really goofy (pun inten ded) when I drink my favorites, margaritas. I have to stay away from them or do something really stupid, LOL.