Ok, lets be real. If you saw my six days worth of Birthday blogs, you know I was in no way deprived of anything fun on my birthday. But, there were some things I had hoped to do that we didn't get around to doing. Most of them were park related, and since we didn't spend too much time in the parks over my birthday, I didn't get to them.
It really was no big deal. I had lots of fun otherwise, and I didn't want to go into the parks that much anyway. They were pretty crowded, and with Covid, it was a hard pass from me. But, I'd been seeing so much how empty the parks had been in the last week, that Asa and I decided to check it out. He dubbed it my Bonus Birthday Bash, in which we could do all the things we didn't get around to for my birthday, just the two of us.
So last Wednesday he took the afternoon off and we headed out to Epcot. What's at Epcot I missed out on? Why, the Food and Wine Festival! We ate from a booth (or two), but the lines were REALLY long, and we didn't want to wait in them, especially in the heat (August is so fricken hot).
Of course it was still really hot out (we brought along our cooling towels to help)..
But the lines had disappeared over the last week as people have gone back to school. This line at the Japan booth was SUPER long two weeks ago. So long the boys decided not to wait in it for some sushi. Today, you walked right up to it!
In fact, you walked right up to most booths! Asa had no waiting for his Tipsy Ducks in Love!
As a bonus there were a few new booths that had opened just a few days before we were there. They had been scheduled to open on October 1 for the 50th celebration, but for whatever reason opened early. And I was not going to complain.
I mean, the cheese, in the Alps? DELICIOUS.
They Kenyan Coffee Rubbed Beef with Sweet Potato and Corn Mealie Pap? AMAZING.
Plus we had lobster dip at Lobster Landing, and truffle mac and cheese at the Mac& Eats Booth. This was all SUPER yummy.
And to wash it all down, Chocolate Bread Pudding from Mexico (not new- this one has been here for years, but it's one of my favorites!) All I need to get now is the Fisherman's Pie and my Food and Wine bucket list for 2021 will be complete. (I was too full to get it this day).
of course, it's hot out there- so you have to stay hydrated. We grabbed our waters at the Starbucks and it was the first time I've gotten to give someone my 'fake name' for an order in a very, very long time.
Of course there weren't no crowds. But, there were certainly places that were ghost towns.
Spaceship Earth was walk on, too- so we went on that. But, you sure look funny in your little avatars with a mask on..
We had a lovely time at Epcot, but man, you feel like of like a toddler with all your accessories at Disney these days.
Cooling towel... check
Hat... check
Sunglasses.. check
Wristband gift card... check
Magic Band... check.
After Epcot we checked wait times and decided to check out the Magic Kingdom. Lots of stuff was five minutes! We opted not to take the Monorail over and instead drove. But, the trams still aren't running. Since we were at Wilderness Lodge last time we went to the Magic Kingdom, we had yet to experience the MK parking lot without trams. It is a trek to the Ticket and Transportation Center. The sign said 5 minutes- it took us 8.
And then instead of doing the monorail, which is obviously enclosed, we opted for the Ferry Boat.
We may have had a rough experience on the boats to the resorts but the ferry boat was great. Plenty of space all to ourselves. I'm sure it helped that it was mid-day.
Back at the Magic Kingdom. Twice in just about two weeks. How lucky am I?
Mask wearing indoors was pretty good at Disney except in the bathrooms. Then, basically nobody wore them. And that was a bit annoying.
But you can't be mad when you're at the Magic Kingom!
Upon our arrival we were greeted with a cavalcade, complete with Merida on Angus...
Snow White, Rupenzel and Mulan..
And bunch of princess on the float..
Even the Fairy Godmother was there.
One ride we missed that I had hoped to go on was Space Ranger Spin. We missed this one during the party (in the final minutes of the party it was this or Trick or Treating, and we chose Trick or Treating). Today, though, it was practically walk on.
Despite not having been on this ride in nearly 2 years, Asa maxed out his score. Turns out he still has it.
And I still don't.
Even though we did it on my birthday, we took another trip on the people mover.
And it was light out, so you could see the progress that has been made on TRON since the last time we were there.
Also closed by the time we arrived on my birthday: Cheshire Cafe.
And I was so hoping to get a 'cat tail' for my birthday. No worries, I got one today. And, since Hayden had also been excited about it, I brought him a piece of it home in a ziplock bag. That's me now, apparently.
We rode Dumbo, but we didn't have to sport our masks, because once again mask rules have changed in the last two weeks at Disney: no need to wear them on outside rides or in outside lines.
And, I missed getting my picture in the Dumbo car last time around, so I got one this time!
Have a mentioned it was hot? Well, it was. So, we cooled off in the water play area by the Barnstormer.
And there was no wait on Under the Sea!
Fun fact: Calib was leaving work and called me when I was on this ride- it was kind of an improptu Disney Day (in fact it's so not busy you can get park pass reservations day of!)- and heard Under the Sea blaring and was like "where are you right now?!? (my reply: 'Under the Sea', duh)
We played a mobile order for some Mac & Cheese tots back in Fantasyland too, and those were as good as I remembered them being.
And then we walked thru the castle!
For the first time in ages...
Look how pretty!
After being nervous around the Philharmagic crowds on my birthday, we opted not to do the Hall of Presidents. But I told Asa we should at least go check it out. After all, the last time we were in there Trump was president, and now there would be a new Biden animatronic.
We timed it just right, they were letting people into the theater when we arrived. We had just enough time to check out the new stuff on display (Teddy's saddle!!!)
All without anyone behind us or around us.
As the last people in the theater, we walked around the front all the way to the side, away from the crowds that had gathered in the middle.
Not such a bad view, and I got to see the Hall of Presidents, finally!
On our way out we caught another cavalcade. You can spot Alladin there on the back...
And then we made our way around the hub to head off the cavalcade and see the front end of it. This time we found Gaston on his horse.
And Alice, Peter Pan, and Moana up top there.
Finally we headed up to Casey's Corner, because without Cedar Point in my life for the last two summers this is my one and only shot at mini corn dogs and plastic cheese. Sure it comes with fries too, but it's not the same.
And no trip to Casey's Corner is complete without the ducks walking around... (babies!!!)
And a few of them at your feet begging for food (which I did not feed of course).
And that completed our trip to the Magic Kingdom!
Something else I wanted to do that I didn't get around to on my birthday trip: walk to the Polynesian from the Magic Kingdom. Because.. you can do that now! The walkway opened some time during Covid times and I was excited to take it. When we checked with the security gaurds at the boats to make sure we were going the right way (the start of the path is a bit hidden), they were like "you're walking that?! It's a long way!', when we said we didn't mind, they said 'we'll send someone for you'.
I think that may have been a bit overdramtic. The encounter made us check our fitbits and it was only about 3500 extra steps (and that was all the way past the Polynesian to the parking lot and to the car). It really wasn't that far, and the heat had given way to a nice evening. Sometimes in late August you get nice evenings where the humidity isn't too high. Plus, you're so used to the heat if it's like a feels like of 90 you start thinking 'this really isn't too bad'.
Anyway, it's a fun path... the scenery is lovely. You have the Grand Floridian off in the distance, monorails whizzing by, and a nice breeze off Seven Sea's Lagoon.
We weren't the only ones out enjoying the path either.
This isn't zoomed in, either. I love their little shadows.
We made our way around to the Grand Floridian and took a bathroom break there.
We also got our cooling towels re-wet in the fountain.
And there were some lawn games out- so we played those too.
And then we continued along the path, past the Wedding Pavillion on our way to the Polynesian.
The Polynesian pool bar was one of the places I had hoped to go over my birthday weekend, but we never made it over there. So now that we were here I could finally order my malasadas....
And my POG Juice drink. I'm not sure what's going on with POG juice at Disney, but there is some sort of shortage. However, they've kept it on hand for alcoholic drinks. And thank god, right? This thing was light and refreshing and I could have had like 8 of them (which would have been bad, I saw her pour this- there was plenty of alcohol in it and I tasted none of it). I'm not sure the official name of this one, but I called it the POG juice drink, and the bartender knew just what I was talking about. SO GOOD.
And that's it- then we headed to the car and came home. But, I did Epcot and MK in the same day, and that's been forever. Plus, I got in about 20,000 steps, so that's not too shabby either.
And just like that, I am done with the August blogs- with 7 hours to spare in August, look at me ahead of the game!
