theDIBB - Scottishnellies Redundancy Trip Jun18. Day 8, Shopping, Star Wars VR, Homecomin

Up at 8am, sorted the washing, made my coffee and out to my favourite spot by the pool. Kieran was already in the games room. Kevin got up about 9:30 and joined me.

We had another lazy morning by the pool 😎 I dozed on and off quite a bit as I hadn't slept too well with Kevin's snoring since the early hours.

We had leftover chicken on bagels for lunch, got ready and left the villa at 1:30 to head to the Vineland outlets.

We always used to park in the multi storey and are gutted that they have now made this ^paid indoor parking^. We drove around quite a bit to find a space and it was baking hot ☀️

It was now 2pm so we had about 2hrs before we needed to leave to make our Void reservation. So we knew we wouldn't get to all the shops we wanted but could make a good start and return another day. We adopted our usual plan of attack. Straight to Simon guest services in the food court, collected 2 maps and one discount booklet, then sent the boys off with one map while Hannah and I circled our shop choices

I spent some time in various stores looking at handbags as I fancy a nice new black one. Problem is I have a very set idea what size n shape so of course I can't find it. I kept saying to Hannah I would think about it when we would find one that was almost right, so I obviously didn't didn't like them enough.

Passed the wee sundial cafe pod which was mobbed with abandoned husbands watching the football!

We joined the boys again for Levi's. Kevin bought one pair which were half price

And I bought 3 pairs to take advantage of the $39.99 each if you buy 3 pairs. When we got to the til one pair went through at half price so meant the other 2 stayed at $54.99. But as soon as I pointed this out the girl just discounted them to $39.99 for me.

We split up again and back to the map plan

Most of Hannah and I's time was then spent in Guess as we tried loads of stuff on. I got some great bargains with summer dresses from the 60% off section up the back and only 1 full price item that I couldn't resist as it's so cute on.

Hannah got 4 tops, not from the discount section of course, but I was just pleased she had picked some pretty things that I liked. So far everything she lifts to look at is either massive baggy slob wear, or something a stripper would be embarrassed to be seen in. There's no inbetween. She will hold something out to show me, I raise one eyebrow, she rolls her eyes, and puts it back.

Leaving guess it was 3:55 so I said to Hannah we would need to abandon our other shops for another day and phoned Kevin to say it was time to meet where we had come in so we could head to the car. He said he was in polo and sounded a bit flustered. Turned out later it was coz he was trying all the discount codes on the dibb thread!

As Hannah and I made our way to the meet point, we passed Kate Spade. Right there. Hannah just looks at me and says ^Go Mum! Go go go!^ She is such a wee enabler!

So we ran in straight to the discounted earrings and picked up the exact pair I had lost in Universal last week together with another wee pair. Straight to the til then out the door to the boys.

In the car and on our way to Disney Springs. I had asked for some ideas on the dibb earlier as I had fancied Homecomin to eat but had no ADR and couldn't get one. Got lots of advice as usual 👍 so after parking in the lime garage, as that is nearest The Void, we headed for Homecomin. Asked if there was a table available for later and she said there were no more reservations but they would be accepting walk ups with roughly a 1hr wait.

We walked round to The Void and at this point the heavens opened and we were getting soaked. I was desperately trying to walk along the side of the shops as all I could think of was how cold I would be in The Void as it was bound to be air conditioned to the max! Managed to get there without being too badly soaked but my hair got it worst.

It was now 4:55 and we had a 5pm reservation. He just took our name to confirm our booking, then led us to iPads to fill in and sign the longest waiver I have ever seen.

You would have thought they were sticking us on a chinook to Afghanistan, not putting us in an empty room with a headset on. Anyhoo, life signed away, the machine printed out our wristbands then we moved to the staging area

This has to be played in a team of 4 so perfect for us. They will split and join parties of more or less than 4.

We were taken into a wee room and watched a clip telling us our mission, then we scanned our bands to choose our disguise, which was basically coloured flashes on the shoulders of the standard storm trooper outfit.

Then into another room where we got kitted up with the fairly heavy backpack and the helmets. We could now hear each other through the earphones. We were led to another small room like a lift. Here they turned the tech on and we were suddenly all storm troopers. This was so cool! Everyone was their normal height and size so even without the colour swatches it was clear who was who.

We then embarked on our mission. This was brilliant. I can't lie. It didn't matter whether you were a Star Wars fan or not, we were shooting at baddies, working out how to open doors and walking from one spaceship to another. We slipped into the usual type of chat that happens when we do escape rooms together ^right, oot the way, let me do it you're hopeless. Turn roon kieran yur facing the wrong way, Och av just been shot in the back coz o you, don't shoot him he's a goody, Och fur gods sake who stood oan ma toe?!^

The special effects were fab. It's a pity there's no way to show what we could see as it really was pretty impressive.

Back out, kit off, and went to get our group photo. $15 each which Kevin's face screwed up at, but we just ignored him.

We walked back to Homecomin and checked in, saying we would take inside or out on the covered patio. She said it would be up to 1hr 25m but our buzzer went off within 10mins and we were seated on the patio.

We ordered drinks and I decided to go for the 22oz berry moonshine cocktail with $12 refills. Holy moly this was strong. And massive.

Hannah had chicken and donuts

Kieran had a double burger of some kind

Kevin had slow braised ribs

And I had the fried chicken dinner

All the food was lush but Kevin's was the stand out dish. The meat just melted, it was so yummy.

For dessert kieran had chocolate pecan tart

Hannah had donuts and syrup

I had the hummingbird cake, which was absolutely gorgeous but most of it went in a box to go home.

I also had a refill of the huge blow your brains out cocktail. BIG mistake. We paid the bill and I took the rest of my cocktail with me. We wandered through Disney Springs, watching all the going's on. Popped into the marvel shop and kieran bought an old style Spider-Man comic.

We sat on a bench outside the cinema and Bongos for a while people watching. This is when I realised having drank the second bucket of cocktail I was foo. Not just tipsy, or even drunk, I was foo.

We got back to the car and all the way home I could feel myself nodding off and just couldn't stop it. Got back, managed a quick bathroom visit where I couldn't understand why Jon Bon Jovi was staring back at me from the mirror. Oh that's right, I got soaked in the rain. Fuzzy hair alert. Then I fell into bed. It was about 9pm and it was lights out for Nellie 😳

So that's why the trip report is so late. Beware the Homecomin moonshine, that's all I can say.