After too long of a delay, Im back with the last installment of this trip report. Side note, marching band music writing is a full time job on its own! Just getting rolling and lots more to do.
Last Day
Ugh, last day in Disney is always such a sad thing. I really needed this time away from work, so this trip was a great thing. Being able to get away for a few days and celebrate my wife's birthday in style was the right thing to do.
Our last day we spent in EPCOT. We did Fountain View Starbucks for breakfast sandwiches and coffee. The plan was to wait until the World Showcase opens so we can run over to Norway and hopefully snag an Elsa dress for Samantha's friend. So, we had a nice casual morning. We saw some cool topiaries. The butterfly topiaries are right by the butterfly garden. We figured, nothing's hatched yet, but let's look anyway. Well, they hatched!
Check out the butterfly nurseries now! You can see several just hatched still on the roof, and some about to take flight.
Here's some butterflies around the garden.
They had cool little butterfly houses. Not sure if they actually use them, but they're cool.
As a conductor, I have a strong connection with the Fantasia Mickey. So, I snagged this picture of the Fantasia Mickey topiary. Rain was rolling in later in the morning, as you can tell by the skies behind him.
Once we rounded the corner near test track, I looked over by Norway to see a HUGE line for Elsa and Anna. My heart sunk. Did they open early? Did I fail my mission for a dress? We took off for Norway and.....
...Mission Accomplished. I thought of buying a bunch for e-Bay, but kept thinking of someone not getting their Elsa dress for their kid because I'm selling them on-line. So, just the one.
My Step-Mom runs and cross country skiis, so I sent her this picture of the statue of Grete Waitz (my Step-Mom is Finnish too, so she loves that culture). She loved it. Still trying to convince my Dad and Step-Mom to go to Disney with us someday. Someday!
Ever notice how cool the little viking ships are in Malstrom? They really have detailed those boats to perfection.
I love the little Norwegian village you exit your boat in. Instead of rushing out, we relaxed there for a moment. It's a really comfortable place. Must not be a bad job hanging out here all day as people get out of their viking ships.
Another job based picture. While on the Thee Cabeleros Boat Ride, I took this picture of the dis-placed Small World marimba band. If they ever start an EPCOT marimba band, I can win that gig
Disney animals are so fun to watch. I dont know if it missing your own pets so much that you start to adopt Disney squirrels and ducks as your own or theyre just that amazing. While waiting outside of the bathrooms, I was watching these ducks dive underwater. They would be underwater for quite a while, then pop up somewhere else.
The mini-museum inside of China and the Chin Dynasty (who I learned China is named after) mini-Warriors. Now, that would be an amazing sight to see. Even in small scale, they're really cool. In real life it has to be astonishing.
We went to hear the Voices of Liberty (a must do) and they were on vacation! Oh no! They cast member at the American Experience told us they had a jazz group filling in. Works for me.
They were really cool. Their 'front man' was a woodwind player (he played sax, flute and clarinet during their set). A drummer with a little harnessed brush kit, a bass player and guitar player. They were all outstanding. They would play patriotic songs and take solos. The guitar player was outstanding. I wanted to talk to him, but they split right after they finished playing. He played some pretty sophisticated stuff for the setting! Great harmony substitutions, side-stepping, diminished ladders, etc. (if you don't know what all that means, its just jazzer for, it was pretty hip stuff). Bass player was good, clearly an electric player playing upright. Wish I could hear them a few more times.
