Split Stay Get Away - Day 3: "We got into Epcot and we went on a few rides"

[Stewboy]

The Index

Sunday 27th May 2018

As the title suggests we were back at Epcot today, but in a change from the original plan we’d be going there first thing due to the predicted rain, rather than having a morning around the pool and an afternoon hitting the Flower & Garden food booths.

Jo and I were both awake by 7am, and as Isabella slept we decided to try and finish watching the final episode of ‘The City and the City’ on the iPlayer as it expired later today. As we couldn’t possibly do this without the aid of caffeine, I made a quick trip to Sassagoula Floatworks.

About halfway through watching, Isabella woke up. We got ready and headed back to the Floatworks for some breakfast; the rain had already begun as we made the short walk from our room.

Slight digression: why Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory? I was wondering about that name for the first few days - it’s because it’s supposed to be like a warehouse where they store and fix up the Mardi Gras floats. Prior to the 2016 renovation the theme was much more in your face, with floats and weird Mardi Gras parade props hanging from the ceiling - I like the way it looks now.

Back to our breakfast. What did we order? Well, Jo went for the The Big Easy Breakfast (Scrambled Eggs, House-smoked Ham or Breakfast Sausage, Breakfast Potato Casserole and a Buttermilk Biscuit); I had a Wolferman's English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich (House-smoked Ham, American Cheese, Scrambled Eggs and Maple-Bacon Jam); and Isabella got a Mickey-shaped Waffle served with a Fruit Topping - only she got it served on the side.


The Big Easy Breakfast


English Muffin Breakfast Sandwich


Mickey-shaped Waffle

Over breakfast we discussed today’s plan. As already mentioned, we were supposed to spend the morning at the resort, around the pool - no point doing that with the rain. At one point we discussed shopping, but decided we would do Epcot this morning after all, just in case tomorrow was a washout and we didn’t get the chance to see Flower & Garden again.

Breakfast was really enjoyable, we all made good choices. Time to head back to the room, where we chilled out for a bit; Isabella read - she does love a book - while Jo and I finished watching ‘The City and the City'; it was a good series, I recommend it if you didn’t see it and you like sci-fi and/or crime.


The City and the City


Reading

The time was now about 10am. We packed the bag, including ponchos, and headed for Epcot in the car. With no traffic we were there in 10 minutes. As we were being directed to our parking spaces, some guests decided to take it upon themselves and park wherever they wanted. I must confess to a certain degree of satisfaction as they were instructed to return to their cars and park where they were told.

By 10:30am we had made it into the park, and after Isabella had got herself a pressed penny (that pressed penny book ain’t gonna fill itself!) the rain began. Out came the ponchos, for Jo and Isabella at least. I tried to tough it out but the rain was coming down pretty hard, and I realised getting soaked just because I didn’t want to look like a poncho wally was a bit ridiculous - especially as I’d be carrying the poncho around in my bag anyway.

Ponchoed up, we made our way through the rain to the Showcase Plaza where we stopped at the Berry Basket - our first Flower & Garden food booth of the day.


Ponchoed up


! Censored!


Figment

Sheltering under an umbrella at one of the tables, Jo and I shared an alcoholic Twinings Green Tea Mint Julep. There was a ten minute wait until the World Showcase opened and once it did, we finished our drink and headed into the Mexico pavilion. We thought it would be a good place to escape the rain, unfortunately so did everyone else - it was packed as demonstrated by the long queues for for La Cava del Tequila, and the Gran Fiesta Tour which we joined. Fortunately the line moved quickly and we were soon off in search of Donald.


Julep Jo


The Three Caballeros


Gran Fiesta Tour & rain

After we’d exited the Gran Fiesta Tour Isabella wanted to start a Duffy so we chilled out for a few minutes while she made a start on her next Duffy masterpiece to add to the two she already has at home!

On the way out of the pavilion we had a look at the Coco/Día de los Muertos display. Being big fans of this film, we think updating/replacing the Gran Fiesta Tour with a Coco themed ride, as the rumours suggest, would be a great idea.


Queue for Gran Fiesta Tour


Starting a Duffy










Coco/Día de los Muertos

The rain had now stopped as we headed round to Norway. Jo and Isabella used the restroom while I took some photos around the Norway pavilion. We had a look in the new Gods of the Vikings exhibit in the Stave Church Gallery which was very educational - worth a visit if you have 5-10 minutes to spare.








Norway






















Gods of the Vikings

[Stewboy]

China was next up, which could mean only one thing: Tipsy Ducks in Love We took more photos and made some bamboo related jokes, before continuing on our Flower & Garden tour of the World Showcase.


Panda topiary


I beg your pardon, I never promised you a...


Mexican Weeping Bamboo


Groundcover Bamboo


Clumping Bamboo


Kuma Bamboo Grass


Me Old Bamboo

On the way to Germany we reacquainted ourselves with the Lion King topiary first spotted back in 2010; the years have not been kind to Mufasa - his face appears to have fallen off!







It was almost noon now and time to get Isabella something to eat. She always likes food from Germany so we got her the Toasted Pretzel Bread topped with Black Forest Ham and Melted Gruyère Cheese from the Bauernmarkt: Farmer's Market.

We found a bench for her to sit and eat, which was thankfully undercover, as the rain had started again. Unfortunately for me she was thirsty and the nearest place to get her some water from was back at the Refreshment Outpost in the gap between China and Germany.


Toasted Pretzel Bread


The view - look at those clouds!


Undercover

I set off into the rain, and arrived at the Refreshment Port only to find an annoyingly long queue.

We’d recently read other Dibbers describing how they’d witnessed other guests refusing to share tables on property, which I find ridiculous. Jo, being British, obviously wasn’t going to do that and a succession of other guests had shared our bench while I was waiting in a long line for some water.

With the rain came the ducks. They seemed to be a recurring theme throughout this trip, and not just tipsy ones . Obviously there are always ducks hanging around Disney World but there seemed to be so many more of them this time - not that it’s a bad thing, everyone loves a duck right?

After she’d had her German snack and some water, Isabella updated the Flower & Garden passport - sticking in the stickers, and ticking off the topiaries we’d seen.


Not a tipsy duck


Updating the passport

Italy, Japan, and then Morocco passed quickly with only a brief pause to photograph topiaries of the Seven Dwarfs, and Lady and the Tramp.

After Morocco we stopped at the Florida Fresh booth to get Jo and I some Shrimp & Grits to share - Spicy Blackened Shrimp and Stone-ground Cheddar Cheese Grits with Brown Gravy and Local Sweet Corn Relish to be exact. They were really good.








Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs


Lady and the Tramp


Shrimp & grits






Flower and Garden


Bonsai

Next up was France and time for some more alcohol: the La Vie en Rose Frozen Slushy (Grey Goose Orange, St. Germain Liqueur, White and Red Cranberry Juice). We also got Isabella a Macaron au Chocolat en Sucette (Large Chocolate Macaron Lollipop) by way of a dessert.

As Isabella sat and ate her macaron, I took some photos of the surroundings: the maze, the Beauty and the Beast topiary, and a pair of ducks, more specifically mallards, sitting on a wall - they even posed for some close ups.


La Vie en Rose


Macaron


Un labyrinthe


Beauty and the Beast






Mallards

[Stewboy]

Au revoir France, alright UK?

Unusually we actually spent a bit of time looking around here; at the English Tea Garden, the Tinkerbell and Winnie the Pooh topiaries, and the Shakespeare Garden.










English Tea Garden


Tink




Shakespeare Garden


Winnie the Pooh and Balloon


Piglet & Eeyore


Rabbit


And Tigger too

Moving on to Canada we stopped at Northern Bloom where we got the Seared Scallops with French Green Beans, Butter Potatoes, Brown Butter Vinaigrette and Applewood Smoked Bacon. We also shared a Maple Popcorn Shake with Isabella - although ‘shared’ isn’t quite right - she drank most of it, I think I got to eat two bits of popcorn from the bottom!


Scallops


Maple Popcorn Shake

There was a bench behind the booth to sit and eat. Unfortunately we were accosted by a DVC salesperson - although you never know it until it’s too late do you? He was nice enough but he was after a sale: mate, we’re trying to eat!

He got the message and left us alone. As we were in Canada we decided to go and watch O Canada. There was a 15 minute wait, during which time Isabella updated the Flower & Garden passport, and did some more of her Duffy - we’d forgotten to stop at any of the other Kidcot Fun Stops, so she’d literally done the first and last ones around the World Showcase.


Updating the passport


Oh yeah, Duffy!

We always enjoy O Canada, although I’m sad that Isabella doesn’t sing the song anymore. We always come out determined to visit Canada one day, we’ll tell them Marty sent us.


Tell them Marty sent you


Oh, Canada

With the end of World Showcase reached we headed back into Future World where we took some time to walk through the How-To Garden. Our garden had basically been owned by our two rabbits for the last 9 years, but our last rabbit Dolly died the week before we came away, so we needed to give it some much needed love and were looking for inspiration - although I think the local garden centre back home may be a better source of inspiration.














How-To Garden


Obligatory Monorail shot


Daisy

Now that we’d seen the Flower & Garden Festival it was time for an attraction. Jo managed to get a FastPass for the next showing of Turtle Talk with Crush which was Isabella’s choice, so we headed over to the Seas Pavilion as it was due right now!

As we waited in the queue, Isabella wanted to be prepared with a question in case she got picked. I suggested she ask Crush about his shell. We were let in, Isabella went to the front, Jo and I found a bench near the back. Crush arrived, did his usual intro and then picked Isabella. When she said her name all the Americans thought it was cute . She asked the shell question - he told her how thick it was and what it was made of; it was a good question.

At the end of the show, it was so busy I couldn’t get to the front to get her, so waited until everyone had gone, we were literally the last people left in the theatre. I could see she was on the brink of tears, thinking we’d left her. I gave her a cuddle, told her we would never leave her, and she was fine.

It was getting on for 3 o’clock when we left the seas, and decided to call it a day. Making our way back to the car park, we had a bit of a search to find our car - it’s hard to find your car in Amaze…
By about 3:10pm we arrived back at Port Orleans French Quarter. I left Jo and Isabella in the room while I went to get coffee. Out on the balcony there was a Disney Security Guard talking to our neighbours about the smoking - hopefully that would be the end of that. Spoiler: it wasn’t.

On the way down to Sassagoula Floatworks I encountered a Great Egret strolling down the street, it spent a lot of time interested in a bush which I assume housed a lizard or two. I left the bird behind and got on with getting the coffee.


Great Egret

When I returned to the room, I caught up with my notes, then eventually got ready for tonight’s dinner reservation at Boma. The originally plan for tonight was to eat at Teppan Edo, but due to those plans changing as mentioned earlier, Jo had swapped the Teppan Edo reservation for Boma instead.

Excited as we were, it was bittersweet to be going back to beautiful Animal Kingdom Lodge. We left Port Orleans French Quarter just after 4pm, by 4:30pm we had parked up and were on our way to what still felt like home




Boma time




We're home

[Stewboy]

Dinner was at 5pm so Isabella passed the time by doing a big cat quiz in the lobby with Unanagoni from Botswana. He was impressed with Isabella’s knowledge of cheetahs, leopards and lions - she’s watched a lot of big cat nature programs on TV! Unanagoni was telling us about his visit to London, he stayed there briefly on the way to Florida to visit his sister but it was too cold for him!








Big cat quiz

Time for Boma. We checked in and were seated straight away. Drinks were ordered; Jo got a Mt Kilamarita (Margarita with Patrón Silver Tequila, Van der Hum Tangerine Liqueur, and Sweet-and-Sour with a splash of Cranberry Juice), I got a Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale, Isabella had an apple juice.

The buffet was calling and we took it turns to get our selection of soups, hummus, breads, meat, desserts etc., all of it delicious.


Mt Kilamarita

Boma was busy tonight, and at one point there was a huge line, but being experienced Boma buffetteers, we avoided any unnecessary queuing - ducking in and out of the line to get the dishes we wanted.

As lovely as it was to be back in Animal Kingdom Lodge, we weren’t hanging about; once we’d finished dinner we headed for the bus stop for an impromptu visit to Animal Kingdom.

Isabella was Queen of the Bus for the short ride over to Animal Kingdom. By 6:20pm we were heading towards Kilimanjaro Safaris - once Jo and Isabella had applied some bug spray.


Queen of the Bus

Due to an incident outside Pizzafari, they had closed off the route to Africa through Discovery Island. We took the detour through Pandora and once in Africa headed straight over to Kilimanjaro Safaris.

We made it to the safari and headed off out into the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. It was quiet to start off with, we literally saw no animals, fortunately the savanna was where all the action was; giraffes, wildebeest, Ankole cattle, and more.









After the safari we got ourselves a Starbucks and then did some shopping. Isabella got a new hat, and we also got some aerial toppers for the car. Exciting stuff eh?

Despite it being 7:45pm and bed time, Isabella wanted to meet Mickey & Minnie at the Adventurers Outpost the only place that they meet together anywhere in WDW (I think).


Aerial toppers

It was a lovely meet and greet - it’s so nice for them to actually spend some time meeting people, at the character meals these two in particular always seem to be in such a rush. Isabella got their autographs, and a selfie, and then it was time to head back to Animal Kingdom Lodge to pick up the car.


Creepy photo of Mickey & Minnie!


Excited!








Meeting Mickey & Minnie




Selfie

It had been a short visit to Animal Kingdom, but a nice way to spend a couple of post-dinner hours. Isabella was Queen of the Bus again on the way back - this is from Tim Tracker’s vlogs by the way, she’s a big fan!

The journey home via Animal Kingdom Lodge was quick and painless, and Isabella was in bed 8:45pm. Jo and I however were staying up late as today was the day Jo needed to check in for our Disney Cruise as it was 90 days out (as we’re just Silver Castaway Club members) and she wanted to book a few things like a brunch on our anniversary, and mixology.

As it would be midnight Florida time that she needed to do this, we decided to watch a Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri on the iPad - after I’d been for (decaf) coffee first though.

The film finished (excellent by the way), Jo did the check in, and at about 12:30am we went to sleep. Another fun, but long, day. There would be no lie in tomorrow either, as we were back to Epcot for Akershus breakfast and the last day of Flower & Garden.

TFR

[margyloveswdw]

Another great day with lots of yummy sounding food (except the grits)!

Enjoying your report (as always) so far.

[collybird]

Fab day, I can't get enough of World Showcase.

Nice to see you return to AKL, the interaction with the cast member in the lobby is a great reminder of how much you enjoyed your time there.

[eleele]

Epcot is an amazing park anyway but even more so with all that topiary.

I do love reading about jam-packed days in trip reports and this one didn't disappoint!

Thank you!

[i love jack]

Great day

[Goldia]

Shame about the rain, although it didn't seem to slow you down and made it possible for the little visit to AK after dinner.

[princess allie]

Love Isabella’s rain poncho, so cute.