The ABCs of An EPIC Girls' Trip! May, 2019-Q is for: Quietly Sending this Trip Report off Into an Internet Sunset (8/25)

[franandaj]

I’m not usually one to stick around in Future World too long as World Showcase floats my boat a lot more.

I've never really thought about where I spend time...there are a number of rides I like there, we always hit Mouse Gears, and I've been known to make a visit to Starbucks, which I hear is getting a new location.

I can take or leave M:S, and Soarin’ and TT are fun, but I’m an old fart now and my back appreciates SE.

I'm an older fart, and I still appreciate all of them.

but I only managed to get a few photos from SE. And that’s okay. Let me assure you, SE is NOT an easy one to get anything decent from. At all.

I need my special lens to get anything at all in there.

McDonalds- a true miracle in which a company can make billions in churning out the worst food imaginable and calling it good.

I like their fries! But only when they're hot.

Sitting boldly in the seat of her new time machine, disguised well as a little white corvette,

Unlike @pkondzand doc, I did not hear the song that they did. I thought of your affinity for Corvettes and how the sinkhole swallowed them.

Women love a man who can grunt.

Um....I beg to differ....

dialed in “More Civilized Era”, and hit 88 in no time

I did get the Back to the Future reference.

She was secretly amused that the crew were the original hipsters but that kale smoothies were probably not on the menu.

Unlike McDonald's who is missing their market by adding Kale to their menu.

What in the ink-stained heck?! How did Andrew Jackson get here?!!

Now I understand this....

If that didn’t scare her, running into Dwight Eisenhower sure did!

I'm going to have to look for these guys next time I ride.

Or that pesky tactic of using military force to ensure obedience to a new tariff in 1882.

Don't worry @pkondzim an American citizen and don't understand this reference either. Now if you asked me about military action in the 1970s to crush a protest, that reference I would understand.

Bored out of her mind, our time-traveling heroine figured there was just as much mindless shenanigans in the present as there was in the past just with better pizza.

Mmmm....pizza

If you are thoroughly confused at this, please refer to this source material I ran across as a reference.

Interesting article. I understood more of your post after reading that. So which president is the guy who looks like @pkondz father?

While I have a pretty busy day tomorrow, my best intentions are to catch up on my long list of threads I'm hopelessly behind on.

Sounds like the story of my life...

 

[Steppesister]

That's pretty much all I do lately.
I'm desperately hoping to be able to take a week or two off this summer. Not sure it will happen. I have no plans other than relaxing at home, but just need a break.

Well, I am too, but when I do, I'm going to travel so will only get behind again. Sigh....

 

[Steppesister]

Wow! To all of that. Wishing her a speedy recovery.

I think she is home now, with a giant scar from open heart surgery. Chest retractors make for very sore bodies.

 

[Steppesister]

Well that sucks...not all of us do FB.

Okay! If I can finally get around to finishing reading the threads I'm on, and I still have a little time by bedtime, I'll post the better ones, k?

 

[Steppesister]

I like that. When I see more than three or four pictures on FB I just scroll past. My phone won't show me more than 3 or 4 and it just becomes an exercise in futility so I don't even bother anymore.

There's usually a + sign at the bottom if there are more than a few. Or you can click on the album to see them all. But, I will put a few up here of the better ones.

 

[Steppesister]

Agreed! And Future World seems so spread out. Lots of concrete!

Oh my goodness, what a story you told! I knew the AA molds were reused in Spaceship Earth but had no idea who was who! What fun!

There is NOTHING worse than criss-crossing that park except maaaaaaybe at AK. Loads of open concrete make for exceptionally HOT traverses!

I had ZERO idea until I started writing. I was actually trying to find out what EXACT era the Paleolithic Era they were shooting for when Imagineering that scene and ran into a veritible plethora of other amazing information about the ride. I was blown away at the level of research and design and accuracy they went to in building it!

 

[Steppesister]

Ummm, you're in a boat in LwtL.

Too bad it doesn't whisk you away to FW as you exit the Test Gardens.

Peh, you're not an old fart, but yeah, seats and AC is good.

My neck tells me otherwise.

Always go for speed. Who needs that paltry efficiency. Cool is good!

Always.

Isn't that a song by Prince?

Yep! You can clearly hear it in the lyrics.

Is that why Tim Allen was so successful?
Oh oh oh oh oh!

Okay, hold on now!
Little white corvette instead of a delorean.
Green plasma burner instead of a flux capacitor.
What kinda trick are you pulling here?

Hey, everyone has to have room to express their unique creativity. Besides I grew up with a DeLorean in the family. Not as comfy as a 'Vette.

That actually does look like a Barilla pasta box doesn't it?

It does! LOL!

Wow....and I've been calling you Liesa all this time. Sorry Fast!

EEK! Depends on the context.

He has a Delorean?

Sure, he's a time traveling maniac!

Umm, what?????

http://mentalfloss.com/article/63795/11-strange-remedies-used-renaissance-doctors

Wow, all the presidents have Deloreans?

Of course! You've seen National Treasure, right? Anything's possible!

They were carrying golf clubs?

All joking aside, considering how difficult it is with low light, good job on the photos.
Interesting history too.

Thanks. It was fun to be silly.

 

[Steppesister]

I enjoyed the pictures of your recent trip on FB, the owl and horses amazing!

Great pictures on SE with an amusing story!

Oregon is such a diverse and spectacular state. In 5 hours you can go from Rocky Coast, to dense old growth forests, to fertile agriculture to desert to high desert, to wetlands to Painted Hills. Loads to see!

 

[Steppesister]

Ditto. I got on the 2-4 rides I want to go on then high tail it for the good stuff (i.e. World Showcase)

Where there is food...

Yep.
And now your choice is
1. Dull ride. or;
2. Motion sick ride.

Strangely, my kids are MOST looking forward to that in Sept. So, I guess I'll go it and hope I don't wreck a whole day at EPCOT. :/

I've met you. You're hardly an old fart.

Can speak about your back, though.

Lately, it's my neck that screams... HEY old lady! Knock it off!

You always come off SE feeling refreshed. Either from the AC or because you've just napped.

Nah, I'm always trying too hard to find the 9 hidden Mickeys in it.

I didn't even try to take photos. (Well... just one.)

Which is...?

They don't make their money from the horrible food. They make it from real estate. They don't own 95% of their restaurants... but they do charge rent on the land. Plus franchise fees. Plus a monthly service fee of a percentage of gross sales.

This I didn't know. But "gross sales"?

Yes.

Why do I get the feeling that you're describing yourself here.

Well, it's why I go to Disney. If you're impetuous and excited there, you don't get in trouble.

Doc already mentioned it. But I thought the same thing.

You're humming it in your head now, aren't you?

I was wondering what you were getting at until I saw the photo.

She's sporting quite the smolder, no?

Holy cow! I never thought of that! I bet you're right! Bathroom graffiti probably has gone down due to cell phone use. Huh!

I think so!

Files this away for future reference. When we meet up in the fall (need to nail down a time!) I'll be sure to grunt instead of talk.

And in return, I'll just spill a drink on you.

I didn't even know those were invented back then.

They weren't. I time traveled and took it there.

Given your penchant for "round the world" shopping, I shouldn't be surprised if you do "round the eras" shopping, too.

OF course!!

Sorry. This foreigner doesn't get the reference.

https://www.deseretnews.com/top/151...oversies-of-each-United-States-president.html

Scroll down to Andrew Jackson's. (Although the other ones are pretty interesting too!)

Cindy Lou got it on with the Grinch???

Stranger things have happened.

Yes... but not Carter.

He's too busy being a nice guy minding his own business. Maybe some others should take notes.

 

[Steppesister]

What an awesome story!!!!! Have fun planning your September trip. What are your dates?????

Thanks!

We had a big meeting and it was successful! Everyone seems to be on the same page, especially about getting up at 4:00AM to get to DHS BEFORE the 6:00AM RD. Gonna be interesting!

We'll be there from Sept. 13th-21st.

 

[Steppesister]

So sorry to hear about your friend's daughter. Glad to hear she came through surgery ok.
Awesome update and I thoroughly enjoyed that article. Thanks!

I think she's even home now. Was a very scary situation and a super rare diagnosis. I guess only about 3/yr in our state!!

You're very welcome!

 

[Steppesister]

I used to hang around longer...

I am hoping GotG is going to help, as well as The Land refurb. We'll see....

Let's make an exception for the fries, at least.

ONLY if they are hot and the oil's been recently changed out.

Kills your environmental score, though.

Well, we all have to make sacrifices somewhere.

I'm gonna have to call shenanigans on this. It never helped me, anyway.

LOL! Grunt louder?

Even they wouldn't torture themselves like that.

I've been putting spinach in mine this week. Can't taste it and it does add some vitamins.

So we've come a long, long way.

Pizza can do that. Yes.

Fun article! Thanks for posting!

You're welcome. For a history buff the one I posted in reply to pkondz may be of interest to you as well.

 

[Steppesister]

Spaceship Earth is one of our "must do" rides and I love your version of it. I will be picturing myself in a time traveling Corvette looking for horcruxes and former Presidents next time we ride it.

Your trip reports are fun to read.

Aw, thanks!!! I just love that ride as it's one of the last remaining vestiges of original creativity in the parks. No silly "movie or character ride".

to the TR and I hope you'll stick around for a few more chapters before I head off again in Sept. I'm so glad you're here and that it's a fun read for you! I try to make them informative and "fun" along the way.

 

[Steppesister]

I've never really thought about where I spend time...there are a number of rides I like there, we always hit Mouse Gears, and I've been known to make a visit to Starbucks, which I hear is getting a new location.

I always hit up the $ixbucks too, and will post a photo of it, if I still have it from the Great Phone Photo Wipeout of 2019, soon.

I'm an older fart, and I still appreciate all of them.

I liked TT SO much better when it was GM. Makes me sad to have lost the queue on that one and the music. M:S makes me a little woozy, not too bad, but a little. Once every few years is more than enough on that one. Liked Soarin' Over Cali better too. Ah well... "progress".

I need my special lens to get anything at all in there.

I did have my fast lens on, but that ride moves way faster than it should to get decent photos.

I like their fries! But only when they're hot.

Yes, hot and with fresh grease.

Unlike @pkondzand doc, I did not hear the song that they did. I thought of your affinity for Corvettes and how the sinkhole swallowed them.

Maybe someday I'll get one.

Um....I beg to differ....

Just being silly. I'm not sure anyone in reality loves a grunting dude.

I did get the Back to the Future reference.

Unlike McDonald's who is missing their market by adding Kale to their menu.

I wonder if they have up here in Portland.

Now I understand this....

There ya go!

I'm going to have to look for these guys next time I ride.

It's been so long since I've done AA that I don't think I'd have ever noticed.

Don't worry @pkondzim an American citizen and don't understand this reference either. Now if you asked me about military action in the 1970s to crush a protest, that reference I would understand.

Here's the article I came across... scroll down to Andrew Jackson. Nothing new under the sun, Alison... Same old, same old...


https://www.deseretnews.com/top/151...oversies-of-each-United-States-president.html

Interesting article. I understood more of your post after reading that. So which president is the guy who looks like @pkondz father?

I'll let him comment on that.

Sounds like the story of my life...

No letting up for me. Just so little time (and more importantly energy) to comment after a 10 hour day, and my days off are for taking care of real life stuff.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

We'll be there from Sept. 13th-21st.

We come in on the 22nd!!! Sigh.

 

[Steppesister]

T

We come in on the 22nd!!! Sigh.

That's traveling day. Technically, we'll be hanging out at Trader Sam's patio and the pool that morning, but the kids takes the DUD at 1:00.

 

[pkondz]

I think she is home now, with a giant scar from open heart surgery. Chest retractors make for very sore bodies.

Poor thing.

Where there is food...

Not so much the food, for me (although it's a perk) I love all the different cultures and scenes.

Strangely, my kids are MOST looking forward to that in Sept. So, I guess I'll go it and hope I don't wreck a whole day at EPCOT. :/

You? You who forced me on teacups that one time?

Lately, it's my neck that screams... HEY old lady! Knock it off!

Nah, I'm always trying too hard to find the 9 hidden Mickeys in it.

There are hidden Mickeys on it???? Who knew!

Which is...?

You saw my update. So guessing you know now.

This I didn't know. But "gross sales"?

Yes.

Well, it's why I go to Disney. If you're impetuous and excited there, you don't get in trouble.

I suppose so!

You're humming it in your head now, aren't you?

<sigh> Yeah...

She's sporting quite the smolder, no?

And in return, I'll just spill a drink on you.

Again???

They weren't. I time traveled and took it there.

Ah. Good work.

Scroll down to Andrew Jackson's. (Although the other ones are pretty interesting too!)

Read it. Got it. Huh!

Stranger things have happened.

He's too busy being a nice guy minding his own business. Maybe some others should take notes.

Well he did just slam Trump, so... maybe not so nice.

 

[pkondz]

Interesting article. I understood more of your post after reading that. So which president is the guy who looks like @pkondz father?

The Roman centurion. Dead ringer. Well... my dad's older now, but still.

 

[Steppesister]

Not so much the food, for me (although it's a perk) I love all the different cultures and scenes.

I must've been hungry when I wrote that. Of course I enjoy all of that too- probably a lot moreso.

You? You who forced me on teacups that one time?

OH shush. You loved it, Mr. Spin-it-Faster.

There are hidden Mickeys on it???? Who knew!

9 I think.

You saw my update. So guessing you know now.

Yep!

<sigh> Yeah...

I knew it!

Again???

Well he did just slam Trump, so... maybe not so nice.

It's a drama, negativity bandwagon everyone seems to want to hop on right now. No solutions... lots of whining. I'mma stay happy over here focusing on making my own life and space better.

 

[Steppesister]

F is for: Fast and Furious Flyover!​

When the VIP Tour was being arranged the original plan was too begin in DHS and then move to EPCOT. Honestly, the tour was such a special thing that I went so far as to add 2 days to my trip so I didn't miss it. That's sayin' something! However, a few days? weeks? after those plans were more solid for the Tour agenda itself, it was announced that the US Navy's Blue Angels, a precision flying squadron, would be doing a flyover at EPCOT. Some of you know that I have a dream of becoming a pilot someday and have gotten to the point of passing my Written FAA exam for single engine private pilot. Unfortunately, life is full of twists and turns, often out of our control and that has been put on hold for another season. Yes, I'll have to retake my exam as you have to get your 40+ hours of flight time in and your check ride done within 2 years. I'm getting on in that time frame and have chosen to spend what little play money I have on other things right now.

Nevertheless, I love flight, aircraft, etc... and when I saw that the Angels were going to fly over Spaceship Earth, I really wanted to see that. I PMd Su-Lynn and told her I'd happily meet up with the Tour once they got to EPCOT, but also asked if the Tour was flexible enough that it could begin there; perhaps, being a kind of once in a lifetime event, others would want to see it too. ???

After reading others' TR chapters on this, I think in the end everyone enjoyed it, some more than others of course. But, I am VERY grateful this really amazing event could be fit into our day. Thank you Su-Lynn and everyone else on the Tour who accomodated me and were willing to see this in exchange for 20 or so minutes of our day.

The area set aside for viewing was pretty full and got moreso as it got closer to flyover time. I was grateful that the area directly in front of me was kept clear for the most part. I think the CMs did a fantastic job at keeping the traffic through there moving along. Maybe the MK parade staff could learn a trick or two.

My comments will be brief on this one. In short, it was nothing short of loud, beautiful, awesome, and totally worth it in my book! Some of my shots, of course, are better than others. Here are the few I got.

Before the actual event, there were quite a few Navymen who were there as support staff- photographers, PR folks, logistics personel etc... But, clearly, the photog need to re-think their equipment.

​

Then, we waited for what seemed like and eternity, but was only about 15 minutes or so. Out of nowhere and with no warning... ROAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

​

They made 2 passes and the 2nd was, IMHO, more cool than the first. But, sadly, my lens that I had on, wasn't right for the shots I had hoped for. Here's the ONE I got of the fan-like formation:

​

Then, they got too wide for me to get more, but this was okay:

​

And the last lone bird I could catch:

​

While I did get some keepers, NOTHING will beat the footage from this website of the event. Seriously, guys, click on the link and enjoy the 1:14 minutes of awesomesauce!!

http://airshowstuff.com/v4/2019/blue-angels-treat-disney-visitors-to-special-epcot-flyover/

Cuz... 'Murica!!!

After that the crowd quickly dissipated and our Tour continued on to Soarin'. On the way, Kari wasn't feeling quite up to her best so we lagged behind telling the group we'd sit this one out. We didn't waste our time though, not only did we get a fun photo opp with a pretty well-decorated Navyman.


***** EDITED for correction: This is an Armyman! All branches were represented as it was Military Appeciation Day. My bad! And I should have known. My own son is in the Army, although I don't see him in his dress blues that often. Thanks, @docsoliday1 for pointing that out! ******************



We also loaded up on a mighty fantastic breakfast from Sunshine Seasons. MMMmm!!

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It had egg, Swiss cheese and bacon in it. And was super fresh and hot and yummy! The potatoes were fantastic. Red potatoes with skins (love that!) roasted in garlic and herbs- not greasy at all. As we were sitting there sharing our breakfast, @Malia78 noticed @pkondz and his daugther come off the ride, but they were moving too fast for us to go chasing.

I'll pick up what happened after this in another update at some point. Lots of ground to still cover on this trip, and I'm running out of weeks to get 'er done! I leave again for the Big Kahuna Trip with my kiddos in 10 short weeks! And, as is my habit, I like to start my TRs with a bit of PTRing to get the ball rolling. I'm doubtful that may happen, but you just never know.

Until next time, fly high and fly fast, Friends!