Disney Feast West& East Day 23: Rain, DQ, Shopping and not being abducted by aliens at WPE
 

A nice lie in this morning after a lovely day yesterday:zzz:

The incredible plan says its lunch at Fultons for all of us today but we decided last night that only Andy and I will go to Fultons and the boys can have some time at DisneyQuest. This is confirmed as a good decision on waking up when we see that it has been raining and it looks decidedly overcast.

The boys surface around 10 by which time I have commenced the horrid task of packing up ready for our move to the Villa . Well, I have got one suitcase packed , only another 3 to go !

We set off in the car for Downtown Disney at 11 – fully expecting the rest of Orlando to already be in the queue for DQ by the time we get there.

Just as we arrive , an almighty downpour breaks and as we run for cover and break out the ponchos we are well and truly soaked- especially Andy as he has to run from the car over to us as we have his poncho - oops. The ponchos would be ok except its so windy they keep blowing all over the place and they are frankly as useful as a J-cloth in a tsunami.

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We get to DQ just as it opens and its not too bad – the boys are soaked but assure us they will soon dry off – they just want to be rid of us and on their way , wet pants or not. So armed with watches and my phone and strict instructions that they are not to abandon Jamie, no matter how evil he is :erm:, we leave them to it and agree to collect them at 2.30 but they are to phone if it gets too busy or they get bored. They are also reminded to use some CS credits to get lunch.


Andy and I go back to OKW and pick up dry clothes and shoes for the boys and have a complete change of our own clothes.

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Its now only light rain ( 1215 ish) so on returning to DTD , we take a brisk walk to Fultons for our 1pm ADR. Its desserted in DTD and at Fultons.

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Its nice to have some time to ourselves – we have a slightly assertive server who make some comment about “coupon people”:omg: when we produce our Disney voucher .

We order the Portobello mushroom fries to start which are yummy

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and then I have the cheeseburger and a pink lemonade while Andy has the cod and fried shrimp.

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By now the sun is out and its lovely looking out over the river. We share a key lime pie – possibly the best we have had, its wonderful.

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The bill is $60 so $54 with our 10% voucher but then back up to $62 after the tip. It is certainly not worth 2 TS credits for that type of lunch.

We set off on a slow walk to DQ

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The boys call just before 2 to say they have eaten, although when we meet them , I think they spilled rather than ate most of their lunch, but they are ready to be picked up.

They are all pleased to change into dry socks and shoes and Connor and Jamie change T shirts as well but all of their shorts have dried off. Its at this point that we spot some interesting red streaks in the car – which appear to be the red suede bits on Jamie’s Airwalk shoes that are running dye everywhere, but fortunately not on the cream floor carpet :omg:. The shoes are promptly consigned to the bin on returning home as the rain has completely ruined them.

So shopping heads on, ears back, wallets open and we are off to Florida Mall. Forgetting it’s a Saturday and it will be busy and it takes blooming ages to find a parking spot but after stalking several shoppers we manage to find someone who is returning to their car and actually leaving and bag a space.

The Mall is busy – in fact its worse than being in a park. We make stops in a number of stores – Vans shoes are purchased and various forms of “Beats” headphones are eyed up.

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The new Vans are road tested straight away

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We go up and down the various aisles and on the way out at 5pm there seems to be a mahoosive queue forming outside the Microsoft store ,so never one to pass up a good queue we immediately enquire as to what we are missing – apparently it’s a personal appearance by Flo Rida but you cant see him for security guards – except Jamie who is able to see between people’s legs and claims to have seen him – or at least his knees.

Just as we have walked ALL the way to the exit, it transpires that Nick and Jamie cant possibly continue to exist without purchasing the aforementioned Beats, which we have passed in at least a dozen shops . So Andy heads back to the Apple store with them while Connor and I sit down by the fountain to wait for them and I enjoy some cinnamon churro bites – which I think are lovely but everyone else hates- shame, more for me.

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Beats duly purchased (Solos for Jamie, Studios for Nick ) and two children who will spend the rest of the holiday like footballer wannabees with their purchases casually draped round their necks, we set off for the Prime ( now Premium Outlets). There is a minor disagreement with the SatNav which seems to prefer us going to the Belz outlets ( no longer named) . We do get there in the end but we are flagging – its just after 6pm – Andy is on a mission in the Lacoste store and makes a number of purchases and we look in Vans and Converse but we seem to have left our shopping heads in the Florida Mall. At 7.30 we call it a day and decide to drop into DTD to get some pizzas to go from WPE.

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Ooops, forgetting its Saturday night and might be busy. Andy drops me off and I go without my phone so I cant tell him the queue is out the door and its going to be easily a 30-40 minute wait.

They begin to wonder where I am so Connor is sent to find me. By now I have ordered and am seated just by the kitchen area, so he has a good “boy” look and of course, doesn’t see me.

Reporting back to Andy that I am nowhere to be seen this induces alternate panic that I have been abducted by pizza eating aliens or the suspicion I have gone for a crafty shop on my own.:omg:

I am blissfully unaware of all this as I emerge triumphant with my spoils at 8.45 to be greeted by the Spanish Inquisition. Having been frisked to assess that I haven’t been on either a sneaky spree and that I also haven’t been experimented on by aliens, Andy is satisfied that Connor is just useless as a scout and that maybe he should have sent Jamie after all – age and size bear no relation to common sense in these children. Or of course, perhaps I should have taken my phone - the clue being in the term "mobile" , duh.

So dinner drama aside ( I was fine and quite enjoyed the peace ! ) we enjoy our meals ( the same ones we have had the last twice at WPE so no surprises there) back at OKW.

The boys decided to have another session of cards but that ends after multiple accusations of cheating ! New Beats are duly tried


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Its been ok as a down day and the weather hasn’t really dampened our plans at all.

Satnav sabotage – back on the radar, definitely badly behaved at the Outlets

Shopping count – quite high with Beats and Lacoste purchases made

DDP count – just the 5 CS at WPE.

Glad to hear that the weather didn't spoil your day

Fab day. DS loves those beats headphones. Were they much cheaper than here ?

No it was good that today was never planned as a park day and we got so wet in such a short time that we just had to laugh ;)

Yes about £50 cheaper plus in the blue colour that wasnt available in the UK at the time.

Great read!

Lovely day Amanda, I remember that Saturday, we did debate whether we should go to for Flo-rida mall to see the man himself but decided it would just be too busy for us to get to see him.

I'm loving your report, taking me down memory lane, wish I had a new countdown:(

Fab day. DS loves those beats headphones

Thanks Heather x

Flower, thats twice we missed Mr Rida in Orlando - he was at Mardi Gras when we went at Easter 2010 but we were too tired to go to the concert - and you were right, it was busy

I wish we had a countdown too - we are definitely not going back in 2013 although for some reason I keep looking at the offers:erm: Maybe 2014 , there would need to be some new attractions for the boys to be really interested

Yes, they only thing is he never seems to hear anyone calling or shouting to him now , they are a bit too good :D

:) great idea to send th kids to DQ to give yourselves some alone time.. can I ask how old they are? as next year I am thinking of doing the same.. (my kids ages range from 13 years to 19 years next year)