The One Where The Kids Are No Longer Kids - Day Thirteen 13/09/16 The rain, rain, rain, came down, down, down, In rushing, rising riv'lets...

[Chloeoeysmum]

Up early today, we left the kids to their own devices and went to Epcot first thing, we were all meeting up for a late lunch and the plan was to go to AK for the evening. We had some very unflattering photos taken, the camera really does not like me! So why am I posting them here for all to see!

We had breakfast at Starbucks again this morning with the friendly sparrows and shared a ham, egg and Swiss cheese croissant and a sausage and egg breakfast muffin, for some unknown reason hubby decided to have a flat white, he did regret its warmth! I had a Strawberry Acai refresher which looks nicer than it tastes - no photos again - I know, I'm rubbish!

We took a leisurely ride on living with the land and admired some odd shaped fruit and veg.
We had a fast pass for test track, we decided not to go for the comedy value this time but didn't come anywhere near first with our sleek machine! Lesson learned, stick to pink souped up monster trucks every time

We then went to meet a few favourite characters, I always forget how tall goofy is! Minnie is such a lady isn't she! I asked mickey and Minnie where they now lived as toontown was still standing when we last visited, so they no longer have homes and went through the stress of eviction they assured me that they are happy living at the character spot in Epcot, at least I think that's what they were implying.

These two arrived at Epcot and paid a visit to Joy and Sadness, I love the way the photographer caught this shot.

We then started our trek around the world showcase, starting this time in Mexico, taking the obligatory sombrero photos of course. I had convinced myself that the last time we were here there were stars/ twinkling lights in the ceiling but I must have been wrong.

We stopped off in Norway to try the much talked about school bread, it was very unusual, I think it was the cardamom that threw me, I didn't dislike it but my taste buds were a tad confused.
The cinnamon loaf was rather delicious. I could have eaten another!

Next eating venture was to be had in China, there's a food theme going on today! I wanted to try the chicken potstickers, there are only three so they didn't really count calorie wise and we did share them. We needed to be careful not to eat too much as we were all meeting up for a Teppen Edo late lunch today. I purchased a pretty fan in China as well and forgot to ask to have my name written on it in Chinese!

It was about this time that the heavens decided to open on us! There was an almighty down pour, we didn't have our ponchos with us today, and we took cover in America hoping that the rain would pass but it just continued, so we ended up buying another two ponchos! The cast member in here must have been about 120 and was the slowest person we have ever met, it took him ages before he even realised that we were standing dripping wet in front of him, he didn't hear our polite coughs either. He looked up and noticed us and said (very slowly) I'll be with you in a moment. Then proceeded to put individual receipts into individual envelopes, we asked him then for two ponchos as we had his attention, he looked at us blankly for about 5 seconds then finished with his receipts and finally served us.

I then thought it would be a good idea to buy a funnel cake kit, I didn't realise how heavy it would be to lug around for the rest of the day. Sorry hubby!

We made our way to Japan, we had half an hour or so before our lunch booking and it was still raining but we found a lovely spot to sit out of the rain under the Katsura Grill.

Lunch was amazing, the staff were amazing, setting was amazing, I would highly recommend that you come here, its almost a dinner show and the food is divine. We didn't have dessert as I was determined to try a Cronut later. We've finally mastered this eating malarkey and it's almost our last day

We wandered around the Mitsukoshi Department Store for far too long, I really wanted to go to the Pick a Pearl station but it was so busy. Maybe next time...

The sun had decided to make another appearance but the sky was still looking ominous. We wandered around the rest of the world show case trying to track down the elusive Cronut. I ended up looking on google and it told me that I needed to go to the refreshment Port just past Canada so that's where we went

I was in heaven but I expect that my arteries weren't! Hubby decided to go one better than me and had his with ice cream, he wasn't as impressed as I was but I expect that the ice cream made it soggy, it was the crunch that made it so wonderful. I'm so glad we don't have these in Norfolk!

We took the bus to Animal Kingdom and had arranged to meet up with DD1 to see the tigers and Alive with Magic. A quick message was sent to say that we were on the bus, it was 4:30 pm and we arranged to meet outside AK at 5:30. The sky was virtually black as we arrived at AK, we had hoped that the 'blackness' would skirt around us, but alas, that wasn't to happen.
Rain drops the size of table tennis balls began to rain down in us, we couldn't take shelter as we didn't want to miss DD1 and we could only get a message to her on wi-fi, as she was on a bus somewhere she wouldn't get it so we perched on a bench with our ponchos for shelter.

At one point a car park attendant came to see us and said 'in situations like this' cue the crack of thunder 'we would advise you to take shelter' cue the lightning bolts 'In the nearest souvenir shop'.
He was giggling at us, and we did say that we were fine and storing up memories for later use. We were sopping wet but laughing!

I could feel water starting to get in through every available gap, we were still in good spirits, its only water after all. We thought that DD1 wouldn't even attempt to walk in this and we hoped that she would have taken shelter in the bus stop. I took my unflattering crocs off which promptly started to float away from me... do Disney sell wetsuits alongside ponchos?

The rain did eventually start to let up and we saw a figure in the distance minus a poncho (she didn't think she needed it, numpty) hurrying towards us, unfortunately the rain only let up long enough for hubby to rent a locker (remember that 10lb funnel cake kit he was lugging around!) and buy another poncho for DD1.

The park was virtually empty at this point so we made the most of it for all of about 15 minutes before having to take shelter again, we ended up at the Yak and Yeti QS outside seating area with storms all around us, no food though as everyone had 'battened down the hatches'. We sat it out for just over an hour before deciding that we should write tonight off, and we wouldn't be seeing any of the park 'alive with magic'.

We left, sopping wet and hungry, took the bus to DS and stopped off at the Earl of Sandwich to buy tea for everyone which we ate at the hotel sat around the undercover area by the pool watching the storm. Sometimes the best evenings are the unplanned ones x

[app]

New Photo Added by Chloeoeysmum - 9 Oct 16 4:43 PM.

[Jake71]

A bit of a soggy day, but at least you tried to make the most of it.

[mick]

Wow that was a very wet afternoon

Joan

[Chloeoeysmum]

Originally Posted by Jake71

A bit of a soggy day, but at least you tried to make the most of it.

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Originally Posted by mick

Wow that was a very wet afternoon

Joan

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Wet and soggy but still smiling! it was quite funny

[Cinderella]

Rain, rain go away!