A Mi11ion Dreams = 2018 - Day 9 - From FoP and AK to Epcot, Tutto Italia and KBD meet.

[walt4it]

Welcome back , glad you have stuck with me so far Appreciate all of your comments. PM's and feedback too. It is what makes all of this worth typing up.

Lovely, unexpected Dibb meet today and the usual trying to fit so much into our on site stay.

If You missed day 8 - you can read by clicking here.

The whole index is here if you want to read from the start


Welcome to DAY 9

Friday 3rd August 2018

Well it had been building all week, the burning of the candle at both ends and in the middle too, finally took its toll.

It was 10am when we awoke and 11 when we decided to make a move and head to Animal Kingdom once again - yes you’ve guessed it, another Flight of Passage day. Another prebooked at the full 60 day window and thankfully we really did get to ride so many times this week.

We were at the bus stop well in time for our bus only to watch the MDE app push the time back again and again until it was 15 minutes later than originally listed.

This addition to the app along with a running total of your dining plan credits really has added useful tools into an app that is much more stable and much better than experienced previously.

Our final on site day and a late start so we can go till closing!
It will hopefully be my last chance to moan about Disney buses!

We arrived at AK over an hour after leaving the room- even with all the technology with Bus departure boards and app times there are some things that still does not work effectively with the Bus transportation.

Anyway, apart from offering my CV in an offer to take on the operations director role for multi hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, I need to accept that this is how it will be

Sivako indeed!

Flight of Passage awaited once again- 4th time this week 😎
Once more it did not disappoint- riding on the top deck of the ride again. I would just love to have an in ride photo or video to just share the sheer enormity of the ride and my complete delight each and every time I ride.

For now I just make do with looking at this every now and again to remind my self of the sheer wonderment - The soundtrack is available on iTunes too.



We needed some food as we had missed breakfast amidst the lie in. We headed to Africa to the hidden away food court where we had hot dogs on naan bread or ribs, it was delicious and I have to admit this place seems to miss out on a lot of trip report traffic as very little is made of the place. It was superb.

Stubs toe is the ending to that !

A single rider trip on Everest followed before we headed to Epcot for the next part of the day.

I took the opportunity to try to video my experience with you - it was wasted amid the rattle, the screams and the fact my phone did not deal with the dark into bright light - I even managed to spoil someone else's ride photo with this - the video was not worth the upload!

With a hat that we should have bought, we also had another photo that looked like this

Rather than go direct to Epcot, we got the bus to the Beach Club just as a reminder of our wonderful stay there in 2016.

And also so we could use a snack credit on a Beaches and Cream special!

Ice cream that you dream of in the many months the cold of winter at home

It tasted as good as it looked.

We entered through international Gateway with just Test Track on our mind.

Having missed out the other night, due to lightning, we were determined to get there before any of the surrounding cloud messed with that plan. The wind however seemed favourable despite the tannoy warning of incoming weather- just as we got in the queue.

We were joined by two single riders who were without a clue

Now no offence to whichever South American country they came from, but they had struggled with the word “single” and the word “rider” despite the whole term being clear to all who chose that route. As the father tried to grab his family to hustle them all aboard together in a car in front of us, we could sense the issues. CM's pointed and wagged fingers!

Dad was sorted into a car and son and daughter (who was petrified) were now in our photopass picture and in our car!

The daughter then struggled with the seat belt check!
To which we sought clarity that they were not with us!

We were in giggle mode, the CM was annoyed that this was taking more time than it ought to. He took to speaking loudly and with actions too.
Pull on the yellow belt doesn’t seem difficult- it was!
It didn’t get any better. although the entertainment factor meant this was possibly one of those Test Track rides we will always remember!

We checked the weather and decided to do the single rider line, as it should be done! We managed it just fine!

We filled up on water at the Electric Umbrella drink station, which was needed. Amidst DDP, water seems to feature a lot less than it ever does when we are off site. I say this as we have been through days of fizzy drinks and a few beers , yet I can’t highlight enough that the water option is so important in staying hydrated in the heat of a Floridian summer. It is a must that the dining plan can escape your attention amidst free fizzy drinks and now the free beers too

There we go - possibly the first ever health and safety warning in a Trip Report Apologies!

We booked a Figment FP, but went to Soarin’ first, where we were rushed through to make up the final 4 seats in the third row.

For anyone who reads regularly we do have a preferred method of Soarin’ and this was the opposite of that.

It was worth doing if only to remind us that if is always worthwhile in asking for the front row in the centre.

I would add though that from row 3 left -the buildings look less wonky than they can from the front when you sit right or left of centre.

Anyway- we finished and let the boys have some time to explore.

They took up the Figment fast passes and decided against a 10 Minute wait for the Pixar short films and did the Nemo ride and Living with the Land instead.

They also went into the Coke stop to try all the flavours- including Beverley!

We, on the other hand, settled for a pint in the Rose and Crown.

At which point we managed to meet with Kitty Black Dog (KBD) and her lovely family. They were just passing on their way back to the Beach club where they were staying.

Was great to see them again (previously met in the Calli Grill in 2015 and especially since they were still on just day 2 of their month in Florida - having read so many days and posted on every single day of every trip report I have every written, I am so proud that the power of The Dibb provided her with so much inspiration to plan her trip in 2018)

We promised to keep in touch and meet again for longer in this trip

The boys returned, and having missed out on the mini Dibb meet we then made a hasty walk around the World Showcase to Italy and Tutto Italia especially.

Now of all the dining reservations we have made for this trip, this was the one that has always asked the biggest question.

The unease stems first from the menu but secondly from the fact we could also be at Teppan Edo or any of the other table service treats that Epcot has to offer- there are so many.

We stood resolutely to our plan of trying to eat in places we had never been before and places we would never pay, outwith the dining plan.

Even with thoughts about changing it this week we stuck with it, so at 7.30 we checked in and were seated immediately with bread, water and some olives dispatched to our table before we had even looked at the menu.

Impressed by the quick start we again made our choices and possibly at this point things slowed a little.



The food arrived (eventually) and with the boys ordering parmigian chicken, Alison steak and quite literally a couple of chips ( could have done with a bit of veg to complete the meal though) and I had a fish Zuppa, which essentially was a soup as a main course but with more than enough fish to justify the difference- it was nice though, with a lovely flavour of spring onion to bring out the rest of the fish flavours.

Spot the difference

We waited ages for dessert to be offered, but apart from clock watching we agreed that if we were to watch Reflections of Earth we would not be doing it properly, like we always have and not rushed into a place nobody feels is right.

As dessert arrived, together with another glass of wine - which we explained to the server we knew that we would have to pay for, for a moment it appeared as if she thought we were expecting the same free refills that the boys were enjoying!

As expected dessert was good- you expect nothing less from an Italian kitchen.

We got the bill settled up for the wine and tip and left.

It was the most strangely impersonal ending to a meal that we had encountered all week, nothing wrong with the food , not even the service at times, the restaurant itself was small enough to have that personal touch, yet that was what it lacked.

There appeared to be a few too many manager type people in tonight, none of whom even came to ask if everything was ok (it was but would not taken much to make that connection)

Maybe I’m being harsh, but my local Italian restaurants at home, base their whole ethos on the friendly home style Italian welcome.
Even typing this now, this remains a meal that we have not discussed too many times since last summer, nothing wrong with it at all, but just lacked that special touch to make it memorable.

We exited the restaurant just in time to see the flames extinguished around world showcase (an hour and a half after being seated) we were drawn in, until reminded of what we had discussed earlier. It was better to try to get the bus back rather than possibly spend more time at the bus stop.

a photo on the move and then a sneaky shot as we walked

As we had also achieved this after Chef de France, we got on a bus a 9-18 which got us to Riverside just after 9.30. Payback for this morning! Big time- it meant for a quick change and the last hour of the pool.

The relaxing part of the day and time for a bit of fun in the pool. It was surprisingly busy especially with children ranging from a very young age. The spa tub soothed away any remaining aching limbs and we took the sound of the lifeguard’s whistle as notice to go and get packed up once again, pool closing time was upon us.

It didn’t take too long to get sorted out back in the room.

The lights went out at 12-10 and sleep was easily found.
Tomorrow is moving day - Again!

Day 10 is just a click here away

[sandshal]

Another great read guys xx

Sharon

[walt4it]

Originally Posted by sandshal

Another great read guys xx

Sharon

See more...

Thank you for such a quick response

I'm still trying to link to past days and index!

Thank you so much for reading along and for your post - really appreciated after the couple of work weeks I have had

xx

[KittyBlackDog]

Wow! Long lie in! Well deserved and needed I expect.

Got to love those FOP fp’s In fact, great rides chosen all round today 👍🏻

It was great to see you both, even briefly, to say thank you for your inspiration for our holiday and to hear in person how yours was panning out.

Sorry the Italian wasn’t as you’d hoped 😕

An early finish for you but another moving day ahead, hope it was a good one and looking forward to reading more, as always 😁

Oh and I’m sure you have said more than once this week ‘Sivako’ as I’m sure you have and will!

Kbd

[DadToThree]

A successful day I'd say! Lots of great rides done.

Great photo of you all in front of the tree in AK.

[flo-tinka]

A lie in!
I resisted the urge to watch the FoP POV vid, I’ll save it for after we finally ride the thing, you are really bigging it up though. I have high expectations for sure after reading all you Dibbers positivity

[Palm trees]

A great read as always. Your reports are both entertaining and informative.

[mick]

A great day can’t beat a lie in after a few busy days

Joan

[Jules32]

great read, you give me hope for our fast passes this August

[collybird]

I salute you for managing Everest without dropping your phone!

Lovely that you managed to meet up with KBD, it always amazes me how big Disney World is yet we can still run into someone from ‘home’.

I was so pleased to read you were doing Tutto Italia as it’s somewhere that you don’t see reviewed much, and we have booked and cancelled it many a time. The food looks nice, especially the desserts, it is a pity about the service though.