Last minute trip to WDW is a go!

[ImagineerWannabe]

I assume there are lots of room/resort pics coming? I haven't been to Port Orleans since shortly after it opened. Long before it merged with whatever it merged with (Dixie Landings?). We didn't stay there, just went to see the dragon water slide
Looking back at your pictures...that sky writing is so cool! The flamingos are a lovely photo too, great reflection in the water.

[Amy]

I assume there are lots of room/resort pics coming? I haven't been to Port Orleans since shortly after it opened. Long before it merged with whatever it merged with (Dixie Landings?). We didn't stay there, just went to see the dragon water slide
Looking back at your pictures...that sky writing is so cool! The flamingos are a lovely photo too, great reflection in the water.

I have a lot of the room ~ not as many of the resort. We did walk to the Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory over at the French Quarter one morning so I have some pictures from that walk and that area. I was so tired from walking around the parks that I didn't explore the resort as much as I normally would have

[jlpeaches255]

Love Port Orleans Riverside! Tough start but great report Amy!

[Amy]

Love Port Orleans Riverside! Tough start but great report Amy!

thanks ~ I need to get back to it one of these days. So many things to do, so little time to work on them.

[ImagineerWannabe]

thanks ~ I need to get back to it one of these days. So many things to do, so little time to work on them.

It's a leap day! The day salaried people work for free. That tickled me when I heard it because recently I've been paid hourly...bonus!
24 extra hours! Although I know it doesn't feel like any more can really get accomplished. Good luck getting back to your trip report. We're all ready and waiting

[Amy]

thanks ~ I need to get back to it one of these days. So many things to do, so little time to work on them.

It's a leap day! The day salaried people work for free. That tickled me when I heard it because recently I've been paid hourly...bonus!
24 extra hours! Although I know it doesn't feel like any more can really get accomplished. Good luck getting back to your trip report. We're all ready and waiting

Just a normal Monday for me ~ bonus for you though! Nah, didn't get any more than normal done today, although I did get everything cleaned up in anticipation of the salt delivery from the water softener people tomorrow ~ whoohoo!

[Amy]

Oh my, well, looks like I have been slacking a bit on this TR. Nothing since 2/29? Shame Amy, shame.
So, without further ado ~ on with the continuation of Day 2 ~ EPCOT!

We left Animal Kingdom and lucked out with a very short bus wait. Got to EPCOT in about 20 minutes time.



One for brerrabbit1



And Stitch fans...all one or two of you



Our first stop was Spaceship Earth. Figment and I were in the same vehicle, but I was in front and she was in back, so I was able to fulfill Lars’ request to ride SE in German for him.

Next up was Living with the Land ~ Figment had to stop and have a snack so I went on without her this time around.

Love the little sand snowman in the greenhouse



One of the CMs working in the greenhouse. Don’t know why, but it is always more fun for me when there are people in the attraction. Reminds me of the good work they do there I guess.



Snake gourds ~ anyone ever taste one of these?



After the Land, we stopped by Journey into Your blah-ish Imagination. Although I always seem to find something to take a picture of ~ like the man in the moon!



We stopped in the gift shop so Figment could ooo and ahh over the merchandise. Sadly she didn’t find a new t-shirt she liked, but she did get two new Figment magnets for the fridge.
One day, I suppose I will have to buy her one of these larger Figment plushes. But for now, she is content hugging them in the store.



Love seeing the monorail glide by



Figment took a little siesta outside while I took a quick trip on the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

This was a relatively new sign when we were there.



Love the addition of the original three caballeros. So glad I had seen the little news blurb about them returning to the attraction so I could pay extra attention to them



Took a quick photo of a performer in China as we passed through



Always have to take a minute to admire the train set up in Germany



Plant decorations for the holidays. They are growing on me after seeing them all these years, but they are still not my favorite





We had arrived at our dinner destination ~ Via Napoli. When they called us for the reservation they called for Amy Smelly. He asked if he had said it correctly so I gently corrected him to Shelley and explained Smelly meant I was stinky. The other CM chuckled quietly while the one who had called my name incorrectly turned beet red and apologized. Mom’s comment as we were being seated was “Italian boys are cute.” Yes Mom, they are, even if they call you stinky.

We had a really nice table, but the seafood smell was very strong (Figment is allergic) so we asked if it would be possible to be seated outside. We lamented we would have to leave our server, Pietro, behind as he had been quite kind in those few minutes we had been at his table. Not sure if that affected the fact that he was also our server outside or not, but I felt sort of bad as he must have had to run back and forth a little extra having us outside and his normal section inside.

Mom inside



Mom outside ~ a much happier camper



Me outside ~ a happy face, anticipating the delicious Zeppole di Caterina ~ mmmm!



Our Caprese appetizer. I tried not to calculate how many balls of fresh mozzarella and tomatoes I could buy for the price of this one appetizer



Our shared individual Margherita pizza ~ I don’t know how one person manages to eat an entire one of these!



And now I’m going to do a wonderful trick for you. Ja, a wunderbar trick. We’re going to make the pizza all... disappear!



And now, with dinner all complete there was only one thing to do...order dessert. Which we came to find out, they don’t. Offer. During. The holidays!!

Which led to this face ~ and the subsequent cancellation of our second reservation at Via Napoli later in the trip. We enjoy the food, but the zeppole is truly our reason for eating here! As a final kick in the pants, they don’t accept the Disney Visa for a discount at dinner. Sigh




So tummies full, but not quite as happy as they could have been, we set off for the American Adventure. I asked to be sure, but found out that the Disney Chase lounge is only open during the Food and Wine Festival. Shucks. I would have loved to see the view from up there.



Such a beautiful rotunda in the American Pavilion



My favorite Spirits of America statues






We saw just a few minutes of the Candlelight Processional as it was just finishing up as we were exiting the American Adventure ~ Joe Morton was the narrator this evening according to online sources.



We settled in between Canada and the United Kingdom with a 40 min wait before Illuminations. There was a very chatty New Yorker there with his Mom so I didn’t have a chance to fully enjoy the preshow music.









Since we were both still tired from traveling the day before, we went ahead and started exiting with everyone else once the show ended as opposed to our normal, wait until the crowds disperse a bit method. Love the goodnight messages that scroll across SE on the way out.





Of course, we always have to stop and enjoy the fiber optic lights in Innoventions plaza on the way out. I’d love to be able to have these at my home one day!





A few obligatory SE at night shots ~ I’d love to have one of these at my home too







Fun plant shadows on way out to bus stop



We got out to the bus stop at 10:20. After we figured out we were in the wrong line we made it back to the resort in a fairly decent amount of time. It was only 11 so we were able to grab a quick refill of our mugs at the QS. Arrived back in our room to find out our luggage hadn’t quite made the transfer yet, so I called about that.

Here are a few pics of the room









And with that, I will finish up Day 2 of the (slightly) belated trip report 
 More to follow...although no promises on when

[theBIGyowski]

What a great day in Epcot! That is so sad about the zeppole...and it now makes sense why you don't see them on menus online. Thankfully they were serving them when we were there last year in September. We more than likely won't be going to Via Napoli with our kids this December since there are other places that would work better considering their ages (4 & 2). That is one of our favorite desserts on WDW property though!

I love your room there too! They've done such a great job on the themed moderate resort rooms. Were there any fiber optics in the pictures in the room?

[Amy]

What a great day in Epcot! That is so sad about the zeppole...and it now makes sense why you don't see them on menus online. Thankfully they were serving them when we were there last year in September. We more than likely won't be going to Via Napoli with our kids this December since there are other places that would work better considering their ages (4 & 2). That is one of our favorite desserts on WDW property though!

I love your room there too! They've done such a great job on the themed moderate resort rooms. Were there any fiber optics in the pictures in the room?

We were so disappointed. And I don't even remember what the "special" themed dessert was. When I asked if the zeppole were too time consuming to make during the holidays the waiter just sort of shrugged like he didn't know. They are so delicious!
This was one of the fancy rooms. I think it was the Princess Tiana room. It was definitely the fancier version of a POR room. Yes, there were fiber optics in the headboards! Pictures and a video (if I can figure that out) will be in the rest of the TR at some point

[wewantsdaredhead]

When are we going to get to the good part????
The reunion of long lost brothers and sister?

I was looking through my iphone for a new pic for the wallpaper and I saw one of all of us at the Osborne Lights.
Oh sorry, spoiler alert!!!

[Amy]

When are we going to get to the good part????
The reunion of long lost brothers and sister?

I was looking through my iphone for a new pic for the wallpaper and I saw one of all of us at the Osborne Lights.
Oh sorry, spoiler alert!!!

Oh good grief, way to ruin the surprise H! There's really no point in continuing the TR now I suppose....sigh







Thanks for the nudge ~ I really should work on that over the next few weeks since my work schedule is rather on the light side this summer.

[ImagineerWannabe]

Wow, I need to get back to frequenting the main boards. I didn't even notice you'd continued with the Epcot day! Good read, thanks You had a nice room too! Hope your luggage didn't take too long to show up.

[NaCler]

Wow, Amy's TR last longer than mine. We must be related.

[Amy]

Wow, Amy's TR last longer than mine. We must be related.

I'm thinking of starting a new tradition ~ starting the new trip report before I finish the old one.

[cy1229]

Wow, Amy's TR last longer than mine. We must be related.

I'm thinking of starting a new tradition ~ starting the new trip report before I finish the old one.