17 Aug Cheeseball, Chipmunks and Chaps In Uniforms Day 15, IOA, Citywalk, Illuminations Cruise

[bigshaz]

Aug 17 Cheeseballs, Chipmunks, Chunder and Chaps in Uniform - Day 15 IOA, Citywalk, Illuminations Boat trip and Beaches & Cream

Disney steps 15,843 6.13 miles

The first day all the Telford Dibbers and us (pretend Telford residents for this purpose) had all woken up in Florida. We all shared plans and photos- MinnieMrsA was at BOG breakfast and I was tucking into my Cinnabons

– I think I had built up waiting of these for so long that they were a bit of a let down - but it was food and so off we headed to IOA.

We jumped into the shop at the entrance and bought the three day photo pass equivalent ot get the ride photos – It was good for this but the non ride photo pass photographers didn’t seem to be at good locations so a bit random with the backdrops!

Steve and the girls hit the hulk,

loved it so much that they did it twice and then dragged me onto the Storm Force tea cups like thing. Well that was enough to wake me up!

We headed off to Suess Landings and had good root in the shop – Thing 1, Thing 2 and Dad of all things T shirts bought. We rode the Caro-Seuss-el,

Suess Trolley,

and the rest of the clan rode 1 fish, 2 fish

- I declined , no more wet for me please! MagicKate sent us all a photo to show they have cleaned out a Sink from Beaches and Cream and made us hungry so we headed to 3 Broomsticks for lunch, but not before a quick photo with the toffee apples.

So lovey to see the difference.

It was very hot as we waited in the queue outside 3 Broomsticks.
1 chicken salad, 1 chicken fingers, 2 fish and chips and 2 butterbeer, 2 lemonade and three waters and we were $79.96 worth missing the DDP
The food was ok and it was fun watching the birds fly around but we had to head back out in to that sun at some point. Not for long, straight over the road to buy the interactive wand.
We then headed for the Hogsmeade express

and made it to the front of the queue and waited and waited – we could see the train. Eventually we bawked and left and found out later this had been the day when the electrics had failed and the doors had stuck – I can recall how hot it was so it must have been scary in there. Everyone got out ok thank fully and we got to ride it later in the week. So a quick visit to Honeudukes for gifts and apples (and a retro phot the wrong way round!)

Steve and the girls jumped on HPFJ whilst i had a rummage around the shops ( a few well hidden Xmas presents made it home for DD1 chief HP geek) , and then the Hippogriff which had been one of Millie’s favourites last time we came.

Dragon challenge was next and on our planning wall we had had written “Red first then blue” for the last 6 months so everyone knew where to go. It actually turned out to be Red first, then blue, then red, then blue!

By now we were knackered, food was required before we headed to the Yacht club for 8 to do the Illuminations Boat trip with OnOurWay and MinnieMrsA. We chose Red Oven Pizza on Citywalk for speed. Now Millie does not like a lot of tomato sauce on her pizza, she had decided to share a Big Eye Pepperoni pizza with Morgan, Steve and I shared a Pizza Rapini.

So at the till I asked if they could put very little tomato sauce on one half on the peperoni pizza, I think from the reaction I got I had grown a welly on my head ( yes welly) – That would not be possible as she could not add that on the till – really, if you have been in Red Oven Pizza you will know the ovens are 15 foot away from the till, no one else was in the place other than me – your feet don’t work sister? Do ya need a pen? She insisted that anyway it would spread put in the oven – God give me strength honestly. Two pizzas and drinks and $39 down we ate what were OK but “wont go back soon pizzas”.

Back at the hotel another “Im not in Disney moment” as the door refused to open, a maintenance man was called – but no firemen! The locks battery had run out.

Totting up it had been quite an expensive day:
Photopass $107
Lanyards $19
Hat in the hat t shirts $70
Wand $53
Xmas gifts $115
Honeudukes $46
Broomsticks $79
Pizza $79
My revolut card was steaming
Oh and bloody car parking $23.43

Crap I’m going to be sooo skint. Gruel for the next year kids.

Very excitedly we headed to the Yacht club and enjoyed the comfy chairs whilst MinnieMrsA and Dave and OnOurWay and the family arrived as we were off onto the Illuminations boat. A brilliant trip around the lake and hotels

and then parked under the bridge ready. The Disney lake police told us to push back a bit towards the bridge which our captain did and we had such a brilliant view and great company. I’d recommend this – there is a thread of who would like to share which is how we all met. Millie took a video which she posted on Snapchat and it became one of the Epcot shared videos that evening trending across America– she was so chuffed.

I learnt a very useful thing during this and the next few weeks about snap chat – it is worth having – Snap chat told me more specific and less dramatized information during the tornados that hit America after we had left than the stupid news channels did – I watched the hurricanes very nervously from home and kept up with the Dibb chatter - watching CNN etc they dramatized every little possibility – Snap chat gave us the reality , there is always an idiot willing to go outside video and upload – find the Snapchat map – stay in your room and watch the map light up rather than the TV – if none of that makes sense ask the kids how to do it !

When the boat trip got back to the Yacht club it had been such a wonderful evening I didn’t want it to end so I recommended we hit Beaches and Cream for Ice Cream, not the easiest place to find in the dark . lots of late night ice cream and ice cream cookie sandwiches later - thank you to MinnieMrsA for treating us with her snack credits this time and we were all ready for bed. A wonderful evening.

Night night all, USF and Cowfish tomorrow

Index is HERE

[MinnieMrsA]

It really was a brilliant evening - great call on Beaches and Cream 😊 xx

[MrsSilverStar]

The fireworks cruise looks fab, will definitely have to look into that.
It's scary when you add up how much you spend in a day, I just say it doesn't count on holiday!

[magickate]

Ah that kitchen sink, was a lovely pre lunch snack haha.

Really love reading your report, makes it seem like it wasn't as long ago as it feels! x

[bigshaz]

Originally Posted by magickate

Ah that kitchen sink, was a lovely pre lunch snack haha.

Really love reading your report, makes it seem like it wasn't as long ago as it feels! x

See more...

Love your new countdown 😄

[bigshaz]

Originally Posted by MrsSilverStar

The fireworks cruise looks fab, will definitely have to look into that.
It's scary when you add up how much you spend in a day, I just say it doesn't count on holiday!

See more...

So much easier when it goes on the magic band 😂😂

[yellowrose78]

Fab day, expensive though! The cruise looks lovely

[Goldia]

I know what you mean about feeling the pain of the spending at universal! Still it sounds like you had fun. Ahh that sunset looked beautiful. Another fab day.

[Jakey Neverland]

Firework cruise looks fantastic another great day.

[Mightyfraz]

You lost me at Cinnabon 🤣 will definitely look at the illumination cruise sounded very good