Going Out in a Blaze of Glory - Summer of Sorcery 2019 - DAY 9 - Dibb meet,Epcot and food galore!

[walt4it]

Welcome back again - you made it...I hoped you would!

Thanks for your continued reading - really appreciate all of your comments, PM's , questions and nudges that I need to do something about having no countdown

Today is a tale of the day after the day before! an 18 hour park fest which turned into a great late night in MK but you kind of knew it was going to bite us back!

That day before can be found here - just click to read if you missed it.

As always the whole index of this year and all that has gone before can be seen here

Welcome to Day 9

Thursday 1st August -Yorkshire Day 2019



After such a late night, we slept well – we needed to, and it nearly took a crane to get Joe out of bed.

Could not say he was awake yet though!

It was one of those mornings when your holiday just catches up with you, when it all kicks in at the same time and when you really wished you had not stayed up on a wave of adrenaline yesterday, after a park opening start and then got to bed far too late.

Just in case you missed it, yes yesterday was a long one – Ok I’m sure someone might question the whole 18 hour day bit - possibly Joe at this hour and minute in life! He did take this photo though!

Although, I’m also sensing Alison is walking on empty too. Josh is just being Josh – Park open , I’m out of bed, I’m nearly 16 – let’s go mode switched on to 100%- Not sure who he gets that off, but he was shattered too.

Thankfully I was on top form- something that seems to be a personal turbocharge that is only available in the USA and Florida in particular – if they could just bottle that sense of holiday for the rest of the year, I’d be fine!

As a result, I readied everyone for a moment that only me, myself and someone called Abby had really thought about in the whole of this summer. I’m sure she had to explain it all to her family, mine just roll their eyes and know what I’m like – I’m certain hers did exactly the same!

I’m thinking her family and mine were feeling exactly the opposite to us two Dibbers – we promised to meet, so therefore we will make it happen. AND WE DID !

We have experienced Dibb meets over the years that have happened by accident, by bumping into people who have read a trip report day or indeed those dibbers who I have gone and started a conversation with as I had read their reports or recognised from photos – in the day when we had photos as avatars or signatures.

The more elaborate and amazing huge Dibb meets of the past seem to be more difficult to arrange and find a venue that suits so many holidays at the same time.

So, in my final trip report it is worthy of mention the meets organised by Reetser in 2008 in Celebration and the amazing Dibb Air meet in 2010 thanks to MossyFlossy. On the plane and at DTD too.

Dibb meets always involve a certain nervousness- probably that you are not taking your family to meet a bunch of axe murderers, and very possibly the chance you will look really stupid if nobody turns up!

They always end up with meeting people with exactly the same passion for Disney and usually with better things planned for their holidays than we had ever thought of !

Anyway back to 2019 and today especially –

This was when two trip reports collide and a moment that similar to the past meet with KittyBlackDog. They happen just because you read trip reports and notice you are in the same places at the same times – and you keep posting comments in reply.

When you have a similar countdown there really does need to be an effort made to make it happen and thankfully we managed that too.
Having read her trip report day – and it was just their 2nd day - her day can be read here

It was fab to meet Abby (Goldia on The Dibb ) and her lovely family.

To be honest, we could have sat in the Rose and Crown all afternoon and just enjoyed the chat to share a chat about Disney experiences we had both encountered, and plans for this year. Over a lunchtime drink in our very own bit of the UK in Epcot.

It was a moment to remember and yet we were aware we both had plans today that needed writing about, and we all forgot about taking pictures of drinks and just stood and had a chat.

Abby, it was lovely to see you, your family and to meet your Legend of a Dad! Hope your holiday brought all the fantastic surprises you had planned. (I know they did as you have typed them all up quicker than I have!)

We went our separate ways, as we were in need of a quick brunch stop, as we had not even got as far as breakfast this morning.

I continued my healthy start to the day, by following up my pint in the Rose and Crown with some fish and chips- they were rather nice though!

Alison took the far more healthy option and went to France for a ham baguette and a cake. It was that healthy - it never got a photo!


As we meandered past the Canada Pavilion, it was noted by Josh that Epcot was one Martin short today - O’ Canada had officially closed!
May it return even better, without Martin Short and with a soundtrack that is equally as inspiring.

From there, we set out to just soak up Epcot, the very fact we had walked into the park and our time in the Hotel was limited, this needed to be fully enjoyed as much as it was completely and totally appreciated.

We love this place so much and who knows when we will ever have the opportunity again.

We were also aware that Epcot would not be looking quite like this the next time we ever get the chance to return there in future years it needed soaking up and along with those old Dibb meets, a recognition as to everything we had enjoyed in all of our Disney years.

Epcot is a magical place and has grown on us all significantly over the years. It was time to just absorb and enjoy.

**As time would tell, that prophecy was even more pronounced at D23 in Sept 2019 , when the whole revamp of Epcot become clear. I’m even more glad we took this time now!**

First stop, was Test Track, single rider line , a great way to skip the long wait time and often with two of us in the same car anyway - except today!

If anyone senses the irony of this picture - then I know you have read more than you need to know about our footballing allegiances.

However Best ride pic of the day was Joe's seemingly invisible photo -

Figment followed, for my usual acknowledgement that Robin Williams is still featured in there , and a special moment just to remember his comedic genius and passing far too early in life x

On exit we found the Wreck it Ralph photo opportunity - we opted for the photo as a momento rather than the meet and greet as that does appear to be something the boys can't be doing with as much as they once did - sign of the times I think and a half hour queue too!

Then, onto The Seas with Nemo, with a more lingering look into the Seas bit than we would allow time for!

Spaceship Earth followed and I have to admit - I took more photos than ever.
Last year we had thought this would have been closed by now for a long overdue refurb, it remained and we really did get the chance to see it one last time. Again with the demolition of Epcot as we once knew it , the announcement at D23 in September 2019 really does give me goosebumps that we took pics like this today.

and the next few - just sum it all up - they really are rebuilding the future and whilst it is the end - it is a brand new beginning for Epcot that one day we all will see.

... and as we headed back to World Showcase, we hit the Beverley Challenge in the Coke shop.

Amid all of the Epcot changes – do you think they will ever get rid of Beverley?

When onto World Showcase, we turned left and that simply means it was Mexico and The Three Caballeros, there really is something about this ride! 100% Duck and so much fun too.

We then got onto the Frozen ride -front row , which obviously makes a difference to the ride photo,- this is always the most difficult ride to get a picture that is any good, along with PotC in Magic Kingdom!

Anyway Joe got soaked which was hilarious and Josh then left his sun glasses on the boat( which wasn't!) – which is why he has never been entrusted with a pair that cost more than a couple of quid- point proved !

He did get them back however, although he needed to wait for the boat to ride right through the Maelstrom building once more (sorry couldn’t resist the temptation to name check a sadly long lost ride!)

The meandering of today brought us a moment that many miss amid the magic of Epcot and that is when the bridge is raised in readiness for the Illuminations barges being brought into World Showcase Lagoon.

We completed the tour of World Showcase and as the boys headed back to the hotel , Alison and I hit upon the idea of an afternoon beer in The ESPN Bar on Boardwalk.

Quality Mr and Mrs time and it also allowed for some planning for the rest of the trip to be done away from the boys!

The greatest signage use , after a shower of rain known to anyone, yet if it was not there , I'm certain the Health and Safety Police would have had the whole place shut down, or there would have been a multitude of million dollar law suits being made against the Disney Corp!

One pitcher of Bud Light later we returned to the hotel, expecting the boys to be in the pool.

However, they were actually just chilling out in the room and then needed a bit of shifting to join us down at the quiet pool for half an hour before we needed to be ready for dinner.

We luxuriated in the hot tub whilst the rain was mizzling around us.

It was just what we needed.

Now,I know what you are thinking!

No, that crane was not needed again - although I'm sure we could have stayed here for the rest of the night.

We showered, changed and walked through to the Beach Club for our evening meal tonight – a reservation at Cape May Cafe.

We were provided with a buzzer and left it with Josh in the lobby, whilst we went for a quick look in the Beach Club shop. We never made it there!

A quick use of wifi in the hotel helped Josh alert us to the now flashing and buzzing buzzer by means of a whatsapp call. Such was the immediacy of the call.

We were quickly settled into a nice table.

The buffet in here was excellent with choices for everyone- especially Alison who is not a great fish eater.


That lack of fish liking, was one factor in us never having been here for dinner before, thankfully staying for 10 nights, allowed us to select it as a Dining Plan option.

I had my fingers crossed that she would not be disappointed as I have to admit I do enjoy fish and the selection here was amazing.


My notes of available food options began with
Veg soup. Chowder, Ribs, Beef ,Mac and cheese, Prawns , Clams, Mussels, Crab, Pizza, Meatballs, Cod bites , Melon, Cheese, Sweet corn …..

-until I was told to put my notes away and just enjoy the surroundings!
We ( the boys and I ) took to the cameras

It was like a game show , simply trying to recall all of the items on offer after just one lap of the buffet


This then offered a great interactive reason to return to the buffet a couple of times and more if you are Josh or Joe and making the most of the dining plan!

Each time someone went, they found something different!

I tried the crab craws and to be honest they looked better than they tasted – far too much effort for very little crab meat and at one point I was thinking that someone was going to jump out and say they had been filming me wrestle with seafood that others found hilarious – the clue came with the sliver bucket and tools that were on the table as we were seated, imagine one of those old nut crackers or indeed a Black and Decker power tool and it was still not happening

However, I got by and realised I would be hungry if I had this as my only food option -I also enjoyed watching others trying to do the exact same thing I had done, in order to find the crab meat!

Meanwhile, non fish enjoying, Alison was readily tucking into the many options available, obviously whilst looking at my crab claw cracking experiences and just wishing she was at somewhere else!

The choice for dessert was just as lengthy and was delicious too. (I wasn’t allowed to even make note of that! )

This was an unexpectedly excellently superb buffet meal, and more than anything, I enjoyed the different seafood that was of a quality we never seem to get at home.

The choice for everyone ensured that nobody went hungry nor indeed disappointed by the experience, a quality evening meal in a place that had a great atmosphere and some wonderful food on offer. Cape May Café top of the best buffet list for the future!


With the tip left for our server, who we really didn’t see most of the night, we headed to the Boardwalk bridge to watch Illuminations and to once more soak up the atmosphere around this area at night. There was a number of people who had congregated to watch the fireworks that made it above the tree line.

We stood, listened, watched the fireworks we could see – but just soaked up every single minute of being here. We never spoke, but we all knew collectively this was the start of the end - or the beginning of the next bit type thing!

Not sure how to best describe it, but after so many amazing days and nights we knew that these moments in time were soon to be moving on.

As we returned to the hotel Josh and I decided to hit the pool, the slide and the hot tub whilst Alison was just needing more sleep.
When we returned to the room she was solid asleep while Joe was still fighting his sleep button by watching You Tube and thankfully not the raters programme we had misheard earlier! Moments when you wish you hadn’t asked as a parent.

Silence was needed so as to not wake Alison up

Sleep followed quickly for us three too - it was needed!

Thanks for reading and as you can imagine day 10 promised to be more action packed and our last full day whilst staying on site.


Day 10 is just a click here away to continue the adventure!