Lions and Tigers and CGI Bears, Oh My! June '16 - COMPLETED 6/4, page 22

[QueenJen]

Sometimes a bit of solo time during a trip is nice - for everyone. AK at night seems like it would be cool. Hope that is still an option when we go again...alas...no current plans.

 

[nilla]

I love this! This sounds like so much fun.....just taking your time in Epcot...playing a game for 2 hrs, and then going to get some quick snacks. Oh Disney how I miss you, and it's not even been 5 months yet! Thanks for all these pics!

Sure thing!

I had so much fun that afternoon. I'll definitely make time for that game again on future trips!

Yea, solo-time at Epcot...... Sounds like a dream of a time! Sometimes it's best to divide and conquer so that everyone is happy. Those Vikings sounded hilarious too Good stuff!

There will be more Viking hilarity on a later day

Can't do Mission Space but I LOVE.....LOVE.....LOVE playing this game. I go straight in the game area while husband rides the ride. It is a MUST do every trip for me.

I hit those darn controls like my life depends on it.

If you're not playing to win, get out of my way.

I hear ya when it comes to getting bored at the pool/beach.
Steve & I are tossing around the idea of going back to Destin, FL for a week next June. He could sit on the beach all day but I get antsy and want to go do things .... you can only walk up and down the beach so much!

I don't mind walking up and down a beach, but just sitting gets old for me. Plus, I REALLY hate sunburn.

Yeah, where was everyone??!

Crowds were definitely manageable on this trip! Especially in World Showcase.

Alright, yeah, I went back and looked. Smart@$$. !

TRUE FACTS

Getting sick?? I hope not!

We shall see.

In 2012, you just finished up at the Boardwalk and in this TR, you are just about there. Too funny!

And it felt like we never left

Sometimes a bit of solo time during a trip is nice - for everyone. AK at night seems like it would be cool. Hope that is still an option when we go again...alas...no current plans.

AK at night was great! I do hope they keep it around.

I have the remainder of Day 8 all typed up, but I have to get up early tomorrow, so I won't post it right now. I'm at a conference in Ohio right now (ok, not RIGHT now - I'm in my hotel room. I wasn't TR'ing during the conference), but return tomorrow. I'll either post the updates from the Philly airport tomorrow afternoon, or when I get home later.

Thanks for reading!

 

[nilla]

My solo afternoon at Epcot over (and a smashing success, I might add), it was finally time to meet the rest of the family for dinner. Tonight, we were trying out Trattoria al Forno, at the Boardwalk, for the first time EVAH. I wasn't sold on the idea at first (you may be familiar with my opinion on Italian restaurants), but Kristin read really good things about it, and I'm always up for something new. So here we are. Well, almost are.

I started my walk from the Canada pavilion to the International Gateway. On the way, I passed Alice, who was surprisingly walking all by herself, without any Castmember bodyguards. I wished her a Merry Unbirthday, to which she replied, "and to you as well!" Very nice, but how did she know it was my unbirthday? I mean, I DID have on a "I'm celebrating my 15,547th unbirthday" pin (which was 100% accurate, btw - I did the math), but I don't think she could see it that well in passing. Lucky guess, maybe?

Anyway, I exited Epcot, taking photos on the way:







Mickey!



And Minnie! And it looks like today's the big day! Oddly enough, this didn't make the papers, or even the DISboards...but I congratulated them all the same. I always wondered when they'd make it official.

Meanwhile, Kristin and the kids were already at the Boardwalk, and had been for some time. Here's the photographic evidence, if you don't believe me.







I really don't know why you wouldn't believe me, but there it is anyway.

Having never met a photo booth they don't like, the girls popped into this one:



I guess they got some photos (I wasn't there yet), but I'm not really sure, since they got back into it later for more photos.

Since we had yet to meet up at this point, I missed out on seeing the pool. But here's photographic evidence, in case I didn't believe them:













Great theming! Plus, there's something to be said about a pool with a slide dubbed the "Keister Coaster".

Probably a top-five pool for WDW. I really love the Boardwalk resort area, and think we'd probably stay here before we would stay at any of the Monorail resorts, if we ever hit the big time.

Ok, maybe we'd stay at the Poly first. We love the Poly, too. But who knows?

Anyway, check out this nice message from Disney Vacation Club:



And to you as well, DVC!

Now, here's a lake:



And here's more of the Boardwalk:



If the photo order is telling the truth, they apparently did A LOT between the time I saw the First Family on their way to the altar and when we finally met up. This includes checking out Ample Hills Creamery, samples and all:





We finally did join up, eventually, and just in time for this:



Alright, let's eat!

 

[nilla]

We checked in to the restaurant, then caught up on each other's days. Mine was better, IMO...but I'm biased.

Here's a wall of wine:



And here's where the magic happens:



Well, some of the magic. To be honest, I don't know what they make behind that counter, since all of our meals seemed to come from the back.

We booked an early ressie, as usual, so the place is pretty much empty:



It filled up eventually.

We were seated very quickly, with almost no wait. You can tell by how happy these guys were:



These girls, too:



And this family:



Ok, they weren't happy YET. Or, at least, they weren't there yet. But we took a photo of that table (for some reason), so I'm obligated to work it into this TR somehow. How did I do?

Em says, "swag":



Or "lit". Or "fresh", or "groovy", or whatever it is the kids say these days. All I know is she didn't asked to be gagged with a spoon, so it has to be good.

Here's bread:



Our server was a guy who was probably in his 60s, and he was super-nice, and super-helpful. Great service makes for a great experience, and this one was starting out to be the bee's knees, or whatever it is the kids say these days.

The bread was good, but we didn't come here for bread. We came here for steak. But man, that BAM (big *blank* meatball, which I believe is the official name on the menu. Or not. Probably not.) sounds pretty darned good, too. And the server is selling it like a champ. Here's how it's billed on the menu:

Big *blank* Meatball (or something) - Beef and Spinach Meatball, Ricotta Cannelloni, and Sunday Gravy

Ok, enough talking about it. Here's what it looks like:



So yeah, we did end up getting it. But since we both wanted that AND the steak, we decided to get one of each and split them. Great choice, and both were absolutely fantasic. Here's the steak:



Quite possibly the best steak of the trip! The kids opted for pizza, splitting the margherita and the cheese:





Excellent as well! Plus, it appears to defy gravity.

I was really impressed with the food here, and promise to not let my personal prejudice against Italian restaurants get in the way of booking ADRs for them on future trips. Well, for this place, anyway.

At some point during the meal, one of the other servers stopped over to tell Kristin how much she loved her Cinderella's Castle tattoo. So much, in fact, that she went to get her manager, who came to the table and also said she loved it. Kristin told them I have a Disney tattoo as well, but mine never gets the applause hers does. Which is ok. Hers is amazing, and I'll freely admit that!

We had so much fun at Trattoria, and the food was great!

 

[nilla]

But wait - we still have to get dessert!

There certainly was no dropoff in the quality from course to course, as the photos may or may not indicate. This is a dark chocolate cake, which someone - I forget whom - got:



Someone else got Tiramisu:



That's always good. And like the pizza, it also appears to defy gravity.

I, and someone else (I forget whom) got the Zeppeto, which is kind of like Gepetto, but really nothing like Gepetto. Except they're spelled similarly. Or not, since I didn't bother to spell check either name before typing them.

Anyway, one is a clockmaker who wants and creates himself a minion with the help of a god-playing witch, and the other is a bag of cream puff-type things with various dipping sauces:



But man, were those cream puff things good! I loved the dipping sauces, too. Don't remember what they were, exactly (caramel, chocolate, and...something, maybe?), but a great compliment.

The dessert was exceptional. The entrees were exceptional. The service was exceptional. Overall, this meal made me a believer. This place is wonderful. If you haven't eaten there before, do it.

Oh, and by the way, the meatball is called "Zeppoli". I finally looked it up. So nothing like Geppeto. I guess I could have made a "Stairway to Heaven" joke, or something, but that wouldn't be funny. Not that the Geppeto one was any better, but, well, you know.

Anyway, now that we're filled with various Italian desserts, what should we do next?

 

[nilla]

How about ice cream?

Um...ok. If you say so. But count me out. I'm stuffed!

We duck into Ample Hills again (first time for *this guy*). It looks like they plug their product with comedy:



HIL-ARIOUS.

I don't recall what flavors Kristin and the kids got, but they were pretty wild, and really good:







I guess I could have taken better notes. Sorry. You can probably check out the choices online. I don't know that there were any bad options.

 

[nilla]

Ok, back to Epcot! We missed out on the nighttime hijinks that happens at the Boardwalk, but that's ok. We have FastPasses for Soarin', and we...well, have used the joke far too much already.

So instead, here's water:



Now take it to the bridge:



Through the international gateway, and off to the UK. I think the security guard hassled us about the ice cream we were still carrying, but probably jokingly. I don't recall, so you can draw your own conclusions.

For no particular reason, here's this house:



We reach the UK (as made clear by the last photo). No walk through the UK is complete without a stop in the hedge maze:







We do some quick shopping in the main store in this pavilion, but as usual, we buy nothing. I didn't see any Monty Python shirts this year, which is disappointing. Not that I would have bought one anyway. Moving on!

Going back to Python...I try to introduce the kids to some of their sketches here and there, and while they're not big fans, they do like some of it. On this trip, it was "Gumby Brain Surgery". And Dylan LOVED it. And why not? It's hilarious! Emily liked it as well, so the two of them got to see "Gumby Flower Arranging" as well. Lucky kids

At this point, we decided to put the phone away, so the photos stop here. At least, for a little while.

In a shocking development for this day, we decided to USE one of our FastPasses, rather than just letting them all go to waste. So out come the 7:40 FPs for Soarin'. Or, rather, they stay on our Magic Bands. Or however that works. As usual, we wait for row B1. And, as usual, we get it.

We ride, it's great, and we exit. This time, however, I noticed some more things I think are CGI. Like most of the people in it. And all of the animals.

Kristin also noticed something, which was a Hidden Mickey! I didn't see it, but no worries - we're going to ride again!

The standby line was relatively short. How short? I don't remember. But we couldn't have waited any longer than 20 minutes. Because Illuminations is either happening or about to happen.

As usual, we wait for row B1. But this time, we don't get it. In fact, no one does, because Section B is closed. Why?

No clue, but I'll tell you this - some of the video, when viewed from the front row of either Sections A or C, is REALLY warped. And no, not cool, out there, American Horror Story/Rob Zombie film disturbing warped, but the Eiffel Tower looks like a parenthesis warped. It was very odd. Yeah, I'll stick with B1. Some of the other landmarks were bent, as well, but the Tower really stuck out.

I guess it doesn't help we were on the far end of that section, but still. It didn't look good. Did old Soarin' have that issue, too?

After Soarin', we decided we were ready to go home. Ok, so the decision was made for us, since Epcot was officially closing, but still. We were done. The rest of the family got less than two hours of Disney Park fun today, but they were cool with it. Whatever floats your boat ("Boat! Boat!").

 

[nilla]

We made it back to CSR around 9:15, since CSR has the added benefit of close proximity to all non-water Florida Disney parks that don't have haunted mansions in them. And just in time, too...for the all new, all improved Star Wars fireworks!









They look...well, like fireworks. But there's supposed to be a lot more to them than just fireworks. Dylan and I will find out how much more tomorrow, when we split from the girls to take a second trip to Hollywood Studios. Can't wait!

This is new:



As are these:

 

[nilla]

Once back at the room, Emily takes advantage of the facts that we're sleeping in tomorrow (again) and that it's still relatively early to ask if we can go swimming. Apparently, she hasn't had enough pool today. Kristin and I are down with the idea, though, so off we go!

The camera does come out, but not for long. And not for a particularly good photo, either. But that's Em and I, on our way to the slide.



Of course, I can't go swimming without going down the Jag-u-lar slide.

On the way up, I hear a kid ask another if he saw the frog. The frog? Cool! I like frogs. I've spotted them around here, too.

Emily wants me to go down the slide first. Sure, no problem. I grab the bar, wait for the light to turn from red to green, and then swing my way into a full-tilt ride. As always, I try to hit the first turn with as much speed as possible, so I can go up the banked wall and take the corner reaching maximum height. My goal is to eventually launch upward off the slide, but we're not quite there yet.

So I'm headed toward the wall. Only I'm not the first to reach the wall. But who is?

Not so much "who" as "what". As in "something small, apparently stuck to the wall of the slide". As I rapidly approach it, I realize what it is.

It's a frog.

THAT frog.

Desperately trying to avoid careening into him, I try to twist to the left of him. But I'm going too fast. I hit him head on, but don't know what happened to him after that.

At least not yet. But after I splashed down into the pool, I turned around, and there he was. Swimming on the top of the water behind me.

I picked him up...and he looked ok!



I can't imagine what went through his mind on that ride. Maybe it wasn't his first. But I sure was glad he survived it.

The pool was really crowded that night, for some reason. We walked over to the hot tub, but it was full. Apparently, there was some sort of convention of college-aged kids starting, and they were swimming tonight. Lots of them.

Which was unfortunate, because I was starting to get really cold, and would have really liked to get into that hot tub.

The real trouble was it wasn't really cold out. At all. And my throat was really scratchy now.

Yep, it looks like I'm getting sick.

We head back to the room after a short time at the pool, and I'm ready for bed. We all had a great day, even if we were separated for most of it. Maybe BECAUSE we were separated for most of it.

Nah.

I love the family. And they love me. I think. But the solo day at Epcot was everything I wanted it to be. I'd love to do it again, but think I'd have just as much fun if it were just Kristin and me. She's not the problem

So even if I may finally be coming down with whatever ailment it was that had been bothering Kristin, today was awesome. We capped it off with a new favorite for dinner, too.

It's off to bed now, right around 11:30. Hopefully a good night sleep will stave off this illness.

Good night!


(Up next, the boys return to Hollywood Studios, while the girls go back to the Magic Kingdom!)

 

[Britbrie]

Yay update!!! Great TR so far, I hope you can come back soon and post more!!! That is a bummer that you started getting sick, but looks like y'all had a great time. The girls and their pool time/hair wraps... lol. That is awesome! I definitely cannot wait to ride Everest at night, it looks even better in the dark.

 

[Clarf]

I'm still here! I've been so busy it's been eating into my Dis time. And my computer is being a jerk and moving REALLY slow so I won't get to my update I wanted to get to tonight.

AK at night is gorgeous! I hope we get to see it like that on our next trip. Next November. OVer a year away.

Love your visit to POR. We really liked it there. Lucy wants to stay there again next trip. We'll see. I did love the pics of your kids as littles when you were there! So cute! You took some really great pics at POR in general.

So excited for the prospect of a 2013 report. I did miss that year.

The CSR pool is great. Jason was looking over my shoulder when I was reading that and he thought it looked cool too. I did enjoy the back and forth between your Epcot day and the CSR day for everyone else. I *think* I got all the answers right in the quiz, but it was tough!

Epcot was EMPTY! I'd love a day to check out one of the parks by myself or with Jason. Someday we'll get to do that again.

Ah Emily and her cartwheels. I totally get it.

Dinner looked great and so did night swimming! I"m glad yo saved the frog!

 

[ArielSRL]

Nice meal, nice finish to the day! Nice pool time, too! Hope you don't get too sick.....

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

Trattoria al forno looks delicious! And ice cream for dessert is always good.

Or "lit". Or "fresh", or "groovy", or whatever it is the kids say these days. All I know is she didn't asked to be gagged with a spoon, so it has to be good.

How do these terms get started and who starts them?? I was just understanding "on fleek" but according to Emily that term isn't used much anymore.

The real trouble was it wasn't really cold out. At all. And my throat was really scratchy now.

Yep, it looks like I'm getting sick.

Like, that's grody to the max.

 

[smiley519]

Another great update!

Not so much "who" as "what". As in "something small, apparently stuck to the wall of the slide". As I rapidly approach it, I realize what it is.

It's a frog.

THAT frog.

Which was unfortunate, because I was starting to get really cold, and would have really liked to get into that hot tub.

The real trouble was it wasn't really cold out. At all. And my throat was really scratchy now.

Yep, it looks like I'm getting sick.

Would you say you had a frog in your throat?? But all jokes aside, I hope you felt better because being sick on vacation is never fun.

 

[BlvInMagic]

Oh my goodness - that frog's life probably flashed before his eyes! Such great story telling!

 

[orangecats2]

Yay for a new Nilla report! So glad I found you before the end. You're one of my favorite TR writers. I never comment much but I've read all of your TR's. I wondered what happened to you in 2013. No Disney next year???!!! What gives?

 

[nilla]

That is a bummer that you started getting sick, but looks like y'all had a great time.

After reading your TR, I knew that staying back at the room when sick wasn't an option! Gotta power through. It's Disney!

Plus, I really wasn't THAT sick. Just some annoying stuffiness. Nothing too bad. And hopefully not for long!

I'm still here! I've been so busy it's been eating into my Dis time. And my computer is being a jerk and moving REALLY slow so I won't get to my update I wanted to get to tonight.

I have to catch up on yours! I've been slacking A LOT when it comes to the DIS lately

AK at night is gorgeous! I hope we get to see it like that on our next trip. Next November. OVer a year away.

I have that beat.

Love your visit to POR. We really liked it there. Lucy wants to stay there again next trip. We'll see. I did love the pics of your kids as littles when you were there! So cute! You took some really great pics at POR in general.

Thanks! It's a really nice resort, but my lack of inner compass makes it even more confusing.

So excited for the prospect of a 2013 report. I did miss that year.

It probably won't be like any of my others. More on that when this one concludes!

The CSR pool is great. Jason was looking over my shoulder when I was reading that and he thought it looked cool too.

It is! Really big, and the slide is one of the best.

I did enjoy the back and forth between your Epcot day and the CSR day for everyone else.

More of that in Day 9!

Epcot was EMPTY! I'd love a day to check out one of the parks by myself or with Jason. Someday we'll get to do that again.

Our countdown is around 7 years!

Ah Emily and her cartwheels. I totally get it.

Just finished building her a cheerleading "stunt stand" today. And she doesn't even do cheerleading.

Dinner looked great and so did night swimming! I"m glad yo saved the frog!

Me, too! I hate hurting animals. Unless I plan to eat them. Even then, it bothers me a bit. But not enough to go vegan.

Nice meal, nice finish to the day! Nice pool time, too! Hope you don't get too sick.....

Me, too! Day 8 was another success, and partly because we did something different. Sure, it involved abandoning my family, but sometimes, that's not the worst idea

Trattoria al forno looks delicious! And ice cream for dessert is always good.

But after we just had actual dessert, ten minutes earlier?

How do these terms get started and who starts them?? I was just understanding "on fleek" but according to Emily that term isn't used much anymore.

My guess is "the cool kids". Like in "Never Been Kissed".

Like, that's grody to the max.

Fer sure, fer sure.

Another great update!

Thank you!

Would you say you had a frog in your throat??

No, because unlike everyone else on the slide, I follow the rules and go down feet-first!

But all jokes aside, I hope you felt better because being sick on vacation is never fun.

Thanks! Time will tell if I do!

Oh my goodness - that frog's life probably flashed before his eyes! Such great story telling!

Thanks

I can't imagine what he thought when he saw me coming. I have to wonder if he's been down that slide before.

Yay for a new Nilla report! So glad I found you before the end. You're one of my favorite TR writers. I never comment much but I've read all of your TR's.

Thanks for reading! I appreciate it

I wondered what happened to you in 2013.

I got lazy.

No Disney next year???!!! What gives?

It's even worse than that. Kristin and Emily have now signed up for a trip through school to the British Isles in 2018. So no Disney for me until 2019. THREE YEAR hiatus. No!!

We'll see if we can do anything about that.

But for now...

 

[nilla]

Ok, it's no secret that I've been lagging behind on this trip report terribly. Life's been crazy. But no more crazy than its ever been. I've been procrastinating. It's like I closed out Day 8, and then hit a wall. Because I did.

But I'm back. Finally. A week that started out with my team leader at work getting laid off, went on to see Emily faceplant on the concrete without even flinching, and ultimately wrapped up with Dylan and I getting sprayed with gallons of diet root beer by rapping clowns and a guy in a monkey suit was just what I needed to inspire me to go deeper into the jungle.

So here we go. Back to our reguarly-scheduled programming. Day 9 starts right now...

 

[nilla]

 

[nilla]

Day 9 - Tuesday, Hollywood Studios/Magic Kingdom

Itinerary:

• Dylan and Jon to Hollywood Studios
• Kristin and Emily to Magic Kingdom
• Meet for dinner at Beach Club

FastPass+

• Tower of Terror: 12:20-1:20
• Star Tours: 1:55-2:55
• Fantasmic!: 8:25-9:25

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: 6:30-7:30
• Space Mountain: 8:25-9:25
• Splash Mountain: 8:55-9:55

ADR:

• Cape May Cafe: 6:00