All good things have to end some time - Day 8, the penultimate day

[Clare]

Woke up with a sore throat and sinus headache, oh great! Still, a couple of sinutab (I always holiday prepared!) and I was feeling a bit more with it, I wasn't going to waste my last day!

I opted for room service this morning, there's something about sitting eating breakfast in a bathrobe in one's room that is so luxurious LOL

Cheese omlette with breakfast potatoes, orange juice and chamomile tea




This morning I was going to Downtown Disney where in addition to shopping I would be meeting my lovely friend Sha. I decided no matter how long I'd wait for a bus I would indeed catch a bus, my first bus of the holiday. As luck would have it, after waiting all of a minute at the bus stop a bus arrived and I was soon en route to Downtown Disney.

I enjoy shopping/browsing at Downtown Disney but with the Christmas decorations it was even more enjoyable.





Love the name of this shop, very appropriate.


Weekends, especially during the Holidays, can be busy at Downtown Disney so I decided to get my shopping out the way first. The usual 'obligatory' shops are Ghirardelli and World of Disney, both very busy. I'm glad I shopped first, even though it was early I still waited over 10 minutes to get to the till at World of Disney.

After browsing through the other shops I returned to Ghirardelli for a refresher - I opted for hot chocolate with whipped cream, caramel and sea salt. Another very naughty but very nice moment, this was the small size!



Sha arrived shortly after and we spent some time talking and making further purchases in the Christmas store. It was always going to be a flying visit by Sha as she works as a nurse and had taken time out to drive up to see me. Saying goodbye was hard as she's been a really good friend to me over the years, chatting on Facebook just isn't the same.



Downtown Disney was now getting very busy and as I had Epcot plans I needed to get back to the Beach Club. It wasn't too long to wait for a bus but I did have a 'South American' encounter - there were quite a few of us waiting at the bus stop and as the bus arrived just as people started getting on it, in an orderly fashion, a South American family turned up, pushed to the front and as I had a foot on the steps of the bus the father tried to 'push' me out of the way and off the bus (! ). I shouted at him to stop and refused to move out the way, I doubt if he had met someone who wouldn't give in to him before, he moved back out of the way and just stood looking very sheepish. They then waited until everyone had boarded the bus.

A relatively short journey back to the Beach Club due to Typhoon Lagoon being closed.





Christmas tree on the club level floor


Bags deposited in room, I took the short walk from the Beach Club to International Gateway.
(photo is taken looking back at the Beach Club)


I was meeting my 'cyber friend' Jeannette who I had been chatting to for the last few years, both of us love Soarin so we agreed to meet by the entrance. Jeannette was in the world for a wedding so was with her DH, unbeknown to me they had purposely obtained fast passes for Soarin timed for when we had arranged to meet. What a great meet, to meet someone you've built a friendship with on the best ride in Disney.



This was also a flying visit as Jeannette had to be elsewhere and I wanted to spend my last day walking through World Showcase.

Being a weekend Epcot was very busy, I was getting hungry but every CS location I passed had lines out of the door. The one CS restaurant that didn't have a line was Lotus Blossom in China. The only gluten free option was rice but with a cup of green tea for refreshment it turned out to be a pleasant lunch.



I slowly wandered around the lake taking more photos and soaking up the atmosphere before heading back to the Beach Club to pack.





Packing is a bore isn't it, it's one of those jobs that has to be done but it doesn't make it any easier.

I was meeting Leanne at Cape May for our 'Christmas'/farewell dinner but before that I had to check in online at 6.30 pm. To tide me over I grabbed some snacks from the lounge and then did online checkin, my seat was still the same as I'd pre-selected, 10J.



Online checkin completed it was time to head downstairs to Cape May for dinner.

The chef showed me around the buffet advising what I couldn't have, there seemed to be less gluten free alternatives this time round but still plenty to enjoy.

After my 'walk around' the buffet, I returned to see Leanne had decorated our table ready for Christmas. What followed was a couple of hours of fun, we decorated our tablecloth to reflect Christmas, pulled crackers, wore our paper hats, told jokes, sang Christmas songs, and generally had a fun evening. Our server joined in, she must have thought we were potty but told us we'd been her best table in a long while.





My plate (I had two exactly the same), crab legs with paella and bean salad, very nice.



For dessert - chocolate flourless cake (very rich) and caramel dessert (very yummy)

[Clare]

After dinner we walked the short walk into Epcot to watch Illuminations, unbelievably I hadn't seen it this trip. We got a pretty good spot on the bridge linking France and the UK, Leanne said she was glad I had finally gotten to see Illuminations but was overheard (not intentionally on her part) by a couple of guys who said they'd move out the way so I could have a better view, I could see anyway and didn't want them to move, but they were having none of it. I'd encountered so many nice people this trip.

I cried all the way through Illuminations, I find it emotional at the best of times, especially the extended Holiday/New Year version, but the reality of this being my last time seeing it, really hit home.



Leanne and I said our goodbyes as we wouldn't be seeing each other any more, other than Facebook and emails, we had a ball meeting up this holiday and I couldn't have wished for anything more.

Illuminations was the perfect end to a perfect penultimate day. Back to the Beach Club to sleep in my comfortable bed for one last time.

[truesdpr]

A smashing day Clare - I really must go back to the beginning now!

Pam.

[sth270355]

Another great day Clare... and well done you for standing up to the South Americans!

[mick]

Another great day glad you enjoyed illuminations

[chaffey]

Wow Clare sounds like you had a right ball at Cape May cafe

I can feel the raw emotion attached to today. Hopefully one you'll get to go back and enjoy spending time with the amazing friends you have made

[Disney_Diva]

Fantastic day, how lovely decorating your table for Christmas xx

[mossyflossy]

The toy koala pictures are just too cute.

Your day is filled with emotion, Clare, and whilst I don't know or have missed the reason why you can't go back again I am so pleased you had the chance to savour some special moments at your favourite place.

[Jaybeez]

Sounds like a great, but very emotional day for you.

[mommy4]

What a fun, amazing, emotional, fab day you had...good for you .