We got back from Ohio on Saturday night, and Asa and I had toyed with the idea of going to Disney World on Sunday. We had been gone for 10 days, so staying cozy on my couch with my puppies sounded like a good idea. But, it was our last chance to easily see the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom on these passes- something we hadn't done yet. We still have a little over a month on the passes, but with a combination of Asa being on call, the Halloween party at the Magic Kingdom replacing fireworks on some nights, and our blackout Saturdays at the Magic Kingdom, there wouldn't be a day where Asa didn't work that we could go to see fireworks. So we decided on Sunday we would go to Disney, just to ensure we checked the fireworks off our list.
Of course, if we were going all the way to Disney we weren't going JUST for the fireworks. We decided to head out for breakfast at one of our favorites: The Grand Floridian Cafe. Of course the food is delicious, but they serve breakfast until 2! So you can have breakfast at lunch time. It's perfect for sleeping in at home but still fitting in Disney breakfast. I wish every Disney place had breakfast until 2. Can you imagine if you could get Tonga Toast at 1pm?!
After breakfast we decided we would head to Epcot. There were a couple items on the list that only take place on Sundays- and we hadn't seen those yet. Asa is on call this weekend, and then football will take up our Sundays, so it was best to check those off the list too. We did decide rather than get on the monorail and ride it around to the Transportation and Ticket Center we would just walk. So we went along the water by the Grand Floridian, and past the wedding pavilion.
And then the path leads you through the Polynesian, all the way to the TTC. I also hear they are FINALLY making a walkway between the Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom, which means theoretically you will be able to walk from the TTC to MK! It'd be a trek, but if you were looking to get your steps in, it'd be a lovely walk.
Now, somehow Disney transportation is listed as an 'attraction', as far as Epcot goes we had completed the Friendship boats (both to Hollywood Studios and in the park), and the Tram from the parking lot. So our final mode of transportation was
#61 Monorail (via Transportation Center)
We haven't taken this in YEARS. Mostly because it's a pain to switch at the TTC, and because the design of it is now funky and you have to go through security twice just to get into Epcot if you ride the monorail.
But when you arrive from the TTC, the monorail does take you on a little tour of Epcot. Epcot is undergoing a huge transformation for 2021 (Disney's 50th Anniversary) so there are a TON of construction walls going up in future world. Personally, I think this is terrible timing with the opening of Galaxy's Edge TOMORROW (YAY!) and the Food and Wine Festival (also starting tomorrow), but I guess there isn't really ever a good time for construction at Disney World.
We had an index card-o-fun type of plan for the day, and as we were headed to our first destination we passed the JAMmitors. It's funny because we saw all these little entertainment things around Disney on this trip and now we know all of them. Walking past the UK? Oh, I hear the British Revolution Band. Making your way through Japan? Oh, there's the Matsuriza drummers. See the crowd gathering in China? Oh, must be time for the Jeweled Dragon Acrobats. Still, I enjoy the JAMmitors. They're one of my favorites.
We made our way over to Mission Space. While we'd been on the ride before we didn't check out all the stuff to do at the exit to the ride. And that's listed as an attraction
#62 Advance Training Lab
There are some video games there when you have to navigate with your jet pack, but it made me motion sick to play, so I just watched Asa.
There's a few videos on some screens, and some attraction walled off. (Epcot is going to be the new half park for the next year, I fear).
And while I was disappointed the Space Base play area was only for kids under 12 (I totally would have climbed through there!), we did send out a 'Postcard from Space', and then checked the Advanced Training Lab off our list.
On September 8th a whole slew of stuff in future world (which will eventually be divided into three new neighborhoods) is closing. Mouse Gears (the giant store) and Starbucks are moving, Electric Umbrella (the counter service place- which wasn't very good anyway) is closing, and the worst of all: Club Cool is closing. That's the place where you can get Coke products from around the world- for free! Asa loves the place. Disney says Club Cool will return in 'some capacity', but I think that just means our days of free coke are over.
I had just finished a cup of water from the Electric Umbrella, and so Asa took four dixie cups of his favorite pop and filled it up.
Next up we were headed over to the United Kingdom to the Rose & Crown Pub.
This is a restaurant on one side, and a bar on the other. But, on Sundays the
#63 Rose & Crown Pub Musician
performs. She's pretty entertaining. She asks people around things about themselves and then makes up songs on the spot.
In addition to everything you can do in the park, Disney has some secret little games to play. You used to have pick up a pager and come back at a certain time to play
#64 Phineas & Ferb: Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure
but now you can just download the app and play it right from your own phone.
There's a couple of different missions in various countries around the world. We picked the UK one because it fit into our schedule, and then we set off on a variety of tasks to help save the world (or the golf tournament- but whatever).
I would totally play a couple more of these in various parts of Epcot world. I don't want to spoil it for anyone- but you get secret clues all over the country pavilions. It's super fun.
Next up we walked over to Italy where we had to see our second Sunday-only performer. Honestly he's probably there more than JUST Sunday, but he's not there on Saturdays, and we can only go on the weekends now (remember when Asa had weekdays off? That was my favorite. I so miss it).
#65 Master Juggler & Mime Sergio
He was entertaining enough, but probably not one I'd stop to see again.
By now we were ready for some air conditioning, so we headed over to take a break in the American Adventure pavilion.
Where we were finally going to see
#66 Voices of Liberty a cappella group
These guys are really good, and totally worth the stop. I enjoyed the Disney songs they sang much more than the patriotic songs, because, well, patriotic lately has some awkward undertones for me. But anyway, check them out if you're around. Plus you get a break from the hot Florida sun. (It felt a lot hotter out there coming from the 75 degrees it was on Saturday in Ohio).
We headed back over to France for an 'attraction' that isn't really listed anywhere.
#67 Meet Aurora in France
Lots of random characters appear throughout Disney, and they aren't really listed with times or places to find them. You just sort of happen upon them, and so we didn't count those on our list. And while Aurora doesn't appear on the app or the website, she has her own gazebo and permanent sign, so we thought we should add her to the list. Also, we learned she's ok with taking naps. But, just no more sleeping curses.
Since we were in France, it was time for a food break. Best place to get cheap eats in all of Disney, I tell you.
We got the usual bacon and cheese roll and a bienget. But, our server, Oceane, told us we really should try this other dessert. I don't know the name but it's a dome of dark chocolate and white chocolate mousse, and it is delicious. She was totally right about it. (It's rich, so share this one, but it is SO. GOOD.)
Oceane insisted we come back to tell her what we thought, so we did and informed her we loved it and it'll be in the rotation for sure, and then we asked her for her other favorites and she suggested these- so we'll have to try them for next time. We trust Oceane's opinion now for sure.
At this point we planned to head back over to Magic Kingdom because we wanted to squeeze in some of the things that close early (like Tom Sawyer's Island, the Steamboat, and some characters), but we also realized we were just TWO items away from finishing our Epcot list. Given how long it takes just to get into parks, we decided it was a best use of our time to finish up Epcot, so we stopped by Mexico to see
#68 Viva Mexico Live Entertainment
And they are SO. GOOD. For real, stop by to see these guys. They're probably one of my favorite bands around the world showcase. They can attract quite the crowds too, so they're easy to spot.
And then we were ready for our very last Epcot item
#69 Spaceship Earth
Now, we decided long ago we would not do Spaceship Earth one time, but instead, six, in every single language offered. We finished up all six with a spin in English.
And that, my friends, is a wrap as we did every single thing Epcot has to offer over the last year including festivals, characters, rides, and shows. We are all done with TWO parks now (we finished Hollywood Studios a few weeks ago) with just over a month to go.
We were back up at the front of the park, so we decided it'd be the fastest to take the monorail back over to the TTC, and then go to the Magic Kingdom from there. When you climb the ramp to the monorail you can really see all the work they're doing at the Epcot entrance. I'm pretty sure they are going to eliminate the double security problem.
I'm guessing this will be the new tram area from the parking lot, but I'm really not positive.
Once you got back over to the TTC, to get to the Magic Kingdom, you have to either transfer to the MK monorail or you can take the Ferryboat. We still hadn't been on the Ferryboat this year, so we took that and checked it off our list. (I didn't have those numbered for the Magic Kingdom, so I won't have them numbered here either)
Magic Kingdom Ferryboat
It had only been two weeks since we had been in the Magic Kingdom, but now it's decorated for Halloween AND while the moat isn't filled back in, the walkway past the castle over to Fantasyland is back open!
We just missed the Steamboat as it pulled away, so we decided it was probably best to work on the characters we still had left. Most of them were gone for the day, except for one.
#55 Meet Winnie the Pooh and Tigger at the Totful Spot
Truth be told, I was there for Tigger.
So we had to explain to Pooh that I liked him, but Tigger was just so adventurous and fun (admittedly more like Asa than me- which is probably why I like him!), but then Asa told Pooh he appreciated Pooh for his thinking about things before taking action (so, more like me and less like Asa).
They both found this particularily amusing. Especially when Asa told Pooh he was the "Pooh glue" that keeps everyone together.
We had managed to get a same day Fastpass for the last ride we had that you can even get a fastpass for (everything else on our list is standard stand-by waits, no fastpasses).
#56 Space Mountain
I haven't gone on this in years, usually because I get the Tomorrowland Speedway fastpass with Hayden while everyone else does Space Mountain. But, it was about as I remembered it. It's like disaster transport but with air conditioning.
There's two interactive games on our list for the Magic Kingdom, so we thought we should knock out one of those too. We've seen this one for years, but never stopped by.
#57 Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom (Interactive Game)
Unlike Agent P you can't just do this one from your phone. You have to go to the training building in the Town Square so you can be given your cards (of spells) and be taught how to open portals.
Then they give you a map and send you on your way. There's various places, but we were given Fantasyland.
We also each got a pack of cards of spells. You can get one pack per person per day and the more you use your cards, the stronger they get. I'm tucking ours away in our Disney backpack for subsequent visits.
Unfortunately, when we got back to Fantasyland, the whole area was roped off for the fireworks even though they were still well over an hour away. We sweet talked a couple of cast members into letting us into the area though by telling them about our list. (Note to Disney though, you probably shouldn't direct people to Fantasyland when it's going to be closed off). Either way, they let us go complete our mission at the various portals around the castle.
And, it was pretty cool because there was nobody else in the whole area. It was just us!
So, we might have also asked a cast member if they wouldn't mind taking a dip kiss picture. After all, you never get to be up by the castle with so few people anymore.
We walked around the castle and found a spot to sit and wait for the fireworks up at the hub. We were actually really close to the castle. But, I started to feel anxious as the crowds built and so we decided to get out of there as to not have a crazy time getting out of there after the fireworks.
We eventually walked back on Main Street and found a spot for
#58 Happily Ever After Fireworks
near the exit and I felt much better.
I mean, it's a good show. But it is no Wishes. It just isn't all that cohesive, and there isn't really a story to it. The projections on the castle are cool but I feel like I enjoyed it better when the projections were at one show and fireworks were at the other. This is the first time I saw the show in the park since it debuted a couple of years ago, and I probably won't do it again. While you lose the projections, it's a much better experience to watch the fireworks from one of the resort beaches. You get out of there fast, there's less crowds, and you get a panoramic view.
So, while we didn't check a lot of things off our list at Magic Kingdom, we did get the Fireworks and that was a big one- it would have been hard to get them any other time.
Here's where we are:
We've finished
Hollywood Studios (39/39)
and Epcot (69/69)
We have just EIGHT things left at Magic Kingdom, where we have done 58 out of 66 things or 87.8% complete!
But we've got a ways to go with 39/73 at the Animal Kingdom, or 53.4% complete, 46.6% to go.
All totaled we are at
205/247
or 82.9%
With just a month to go!
I'm going to try and strategically plan to see if we can knock out Animal Kingdom in one visit, but I think it is going to take two. Magic Kingdom we could finish in a day, but it's going to have to be an early day, because we still have the opening rope drop to attend.
That's it from around here. We're still getting our bearings from being gone. I've done the grocery store, all the back laundry is done, and now all my blogs are caught up. But now I've got to work on school projects for Hayden (we're starting after labor day).
Meanwhile, Hayden is soaking in home by watching all the Star Wars movies.
Next Up: Asa is on call this weekend, so we have some projects around the house to tackle and a few birthday rewards for me to collect before they expire.
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