Sharon & Family - December 2008

Days 6, 7, and 8

Well this is friday now, we are heading to Epcot. We had breakfast with the princess reservations at Akershus. We had a good time. Belle was our "feature" princess. Belle is my DD favorite princess and we got her picture taken with her. Which they gave us multiple copies b/f we left. We also saw Snow White, Jasmine, Aurora, and Mulan. I think that was it. Mary Poppins was outside when we checked in, but the line was too long and they called our name. Breakfast was alright....sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, and some type of potato cheese cassorloe, wastn' too bad. and then a "cold" bar, muffins, rolls, fruit, etc.

Left there and Mary Poppins was still out at a differnt place. so we waited in line. I had never seen MP out b/f, again no photopass photographer. But we DD got her autograph and I took a couple of pic. World showcase wasn't open yet. Ran over to Soarin' got fastpasses,wait for this and TT was 60min at that time and only got longer as the day went on. Went to meet the characters at humm, not sure the name, waited in line for at least 45min, saw Mickey, Pluto, Goofy, and Minnie, at least we got to see 4 of them, 1 at a time. So that was nice!

EPCOT was really packed that day. AGain thought this was a "slow" week. Never experienced such crowds. Didn't like the level of people. Stressed all day I would loose DD.Lines were LONG for the popular rides, TT, MS, Soarin' etc.

We already had bought our passport. by then WS was open, started making our way around the counties. Some lines were great, mulitple people stamping and signing, easy to find. Some real hard to find, long line and only 1 person signing. We also did the "charms" at each country with the stick thingy... wish they made the sticks shorter, they were quite lethal with some kids whipping them around. we had 3 countries to go, but our FP were coming up, so gave DD a choice, bag them go to Soarin' and then come back, or "race" though the last 3 countries to make our FP. She chose to hurry and finish, it was late afternoon by them, we needed our sit down with a snack break, but that wasn't coming till after Soarin'. Got to Soarin' fantastic as usual. then we went on this boat ride in the same pavilion the wait was only like10min (shortest time ALL trip for anything). never did it, so we did, great, did the Nemo ride and Talk w/Crush. Never did that b/f, and that was over the top funny/cute. We also did the boat ride in Mexico, cute (new to us as well). did the Kim Possible thing, very cute, DD loved being a "spy" with KP and RS. A bit few too many "missions" but very cute. Had a CM taking surveys when you drop your phone off. TT was now like a 75min wait, no FP. not waiting in line for anything that lone. Rode Spaceship Earth, DD 1st time loved it, we rode it like 4times that night. Loved the end when "making"your future and emailing them to family.

Also Disney Visa has a special meet n' greet w/a free pic. Did that, asked the CM who was in there, only got "someone special, it's a surprise" and wouldn't tell us. the line was like 45min. I said we don't need to wait in line for characters if we already seen them, she wouldn't budge....I ask if I told her who we already saw she could tell us yes or no. NOPE no help. waited in line. Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy in there.SAw all 3 already. Granted we got their pics with all 3 charchers (b/f 1 at a time) and we got a free 5x7 pic (although the camera place line was another 45min wait). but still 45min long....

Loved watching the fountain, DD got close on the side where the wind was "blowing" and got cooled off. Kept walking pass the Coke place, and kept saying as soon as we do "this" we'll come back and get a free taste. Then we would forget about it. Never made it in there.

Had to run back to china just b/f fireworks for her panda bear she decided she wanted. didn't find anything else she wanted more, so we hurried though the HUGE crowd, bought it, and ran back. since there we just the 2 of us we squeezed in to a spot with some others and had a great view of the "world" for the fireworks. although a tree was blocking the sky view to our left, still a great view. That was the 1st time we saw fireworks at Epcot. I have to say we will NEVER miss them again when we are there, FANTASTIC!!!!!!! left there to go to the camera place, huge line. did some shopping. TT still 75min and now park is "closed" other then EMH, hummm only resorts guests and still 75mins.

We then exchanged our tickets from 5day w/exp, to a 7day w/o exp. We only used 3 days of our tickets. decided we were too tired to go to MGM on sat, our last full day and didn't want to waste a day going to MGM and only go 1/2 the day and we also didn't want to waste 2 days of our 5 with the exp. They are still on our key card, CM said just get that taken care of when you come next time, he couldn't take the "tickets" off the card b/c it would mess our card up.I sure hope he's right...

Did some shopping, came back though, we really wanted to ride TT, finally line only 25mins not. now that is more like it, even though we are dog tired at this point, we are doing it. line shorter than 25min. Left had to stand in camera line again to get our TT pics added to our photopass card. (again long line). made our way to the bus station...again 3 different allstar platforms, however CM had us in 1 line. waited a long time, everyone was actually sittingon the ground it took so long. got back to room and it was almost 1am. (breakfast was at 10am, left our room at 9am, got up at 8, so VERY long day for DD, but we made it. Had a great time at Epcot.

Sat. day 7. didn't do much...some shopping, back to DTD. swimming in the pool. packing up. Got a call from DH and he said his grandmother just died. NOt good!! very quick, very unexpected (and this is just a few days b/f xmas, they were hurring to see if they could get the services done b/f xmas eve). Not to mention the weather all week at home horrible, ice, snow storms, school cancellations, very cold, in the teens. Not looking good for flying home on sun.

Sun. had till 2:30pm till our ME bus back to airport. flights are still open and on time. lounged around. finish packing,etc. got something to eat. had to buy another $5.00 xmas tote bag from resort store so DD could put some stuff in we didn't want in suitcases, bought a few pic framse. forgot to buy one of those green recycle bags, wanted one all week.

Got to airport and found a "helper" (not sure of the "guys" names who will help you with you luggage with a cart) I was worried about that b/c we had 4suitcases, DD bookbag and now large full tote. and my large full tote and another large "purse" for me. DD is only 8, she's a big help, but no adult. GLAD we found a helper. took us to outside SW checkin. that guy kept hinting about how "gratuities are much appreciated, and whatever we wnated" now we just had a great bus driver, tipped him, "helper" was alright,nothing special, tipped him. and back at our resort I reqeusted help with luggage, nice, tipped him.And he kept "hinting how he doesn't weigh the luggage while he was lifting my luggage and how he doesn't nickel and dime the passangers, etc." felt like blackmail to me. now this 4th guy "asking" for tips, not that great, all I had was $5 bill, so i tipped him, but only gave the other ones $3and $4 so I wasnt' too thrill with that. he deserved the least. why do they need tipped? they don't do anything but check the bags in, that is there job, they don't help you in any way, etc.

Flight into Baltimore okay. our connecting lfight was to pitts. we were gonna fly in/out of Buffalo. glad we didn't b/c they cancelled all flight into buffalo. we would of been stranded in Balt. but got into Pitts, late, 45min late. Drove home with temp at 0 degrees in a snow storm. needless to say didn't get home to Erie till 2:30am. had a school delay on mon. (good thing for DD b/c she was going to school). funeral that night and tues. then xmas eve and holidays.

Also was looking for all week was bathroom items. Disney shower curtain, mats, etc. Didn't find 1 store with those kind of items. They had kitchen items. NO bathroom. I've been waiting since last summer to redo my bathroom in disney and didn't like the stuff online at disney shopping so i waited. you would think they would, i would think that would go over good. wonder why they don't???

Trip sure had more than it's fair share of "bumps" wished I could of changed some things. It won't be our "best trip ever", but it was nice. We had some special moments and a lot of fun as well. Just my DD and me!! Which I'll always cherish that fact!!!!! and pictures to remember.

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