I'm going to find adventure in the evening air! An August '18 solo trip report! New PTR link 01/04

Breakfast at Kona Cafe and
a sunny Sunday Epcot morning!
I woke up this morning in the perfect state of "I don't know what day it is and it doesn't matter because I'm on vacation" mode! I had an early morning ADR to get to.... breakfast at Kona Cafe! I was really pleased to see the Samoan was back on the menu and was convinced that was going to be what I would order. Well until I was sitting enjoying my coffee and saw one of the servers deliver Tonga Toast to a neighbouring table. All my resolve to try to something different dissolved and once again I went for my beloved Tonga Toast. It was huge, sweet and delicious and I demolished every single bite!
IMG_2773.JPG

img_2773-jpg.363326

After enjoying my enormous breakfast, I slowly made my way to the TTC to catch the monorail to Epcot. I had awesome luck with the monorails this trip and rarely waited more than 5 minutes for one. I was heading first for a M&G with Joy and Sadness. This had been on my list for a while now but the lineups were always crazy long. I was hoping it might be a bit better this morning. Luckily I only waited about 15 minutes and was soon making my way over. So fun!
IMG_2783.JPG

img_2783-jpg.363327

I was not in a huge hurry to go anywhere so meandered around taking in the beautiful landscaping and enjoyed the morning.
IMG_2775.JPG IMG_2778.JPG

img_2775-jpg.363328
img_2778-jpg.363329

img_2779-jpg.363330

It really could not have been a more perfect morning! I was able to do a little Hidden Mickey hunting as well which is always fun! I really like this one near Spice Road Table.
IMG_2781.JPG

img_2781-jpg.363331

It was just after 11:00 and I knew Belle's M&G would be starting soon. I hopped in line and we had an awesome meet as we were discussing favourite books we had read. Belle's favourite was "Romeo and Juliet" and mine was "Educated". We then discussed the importance of education for women and she made me promise to find Gaston and have a conversation with him about education. Perfect! I had noticed a familiar little girl waiting patiently in line and just as I was thinking "is that Casey and Kari?" , a voice called out "Susan?" We had a great DisMeet but did not take any pictures!!! So did it really happen @kastoney ?? Kari, Jason and Casey were heading for lunch and I was going off to Japan to buy candy for my brood. It was lovely to see them as always!
IMG_2784.JPG

img_2784-jpg.363333

After getting the boys their candy I headed over to see "An American Adventure". I really enjoyed it and it was a great chance to relax and put my feet up while enjoying the A/C. I did some pin trading in the pavilion and just as I was coming out I noticed Big Al coming out from the character training area. I was so excited to see him and quickly hopped in line.
IMG_2785.JPG

img_2785-jpg.363336

Now it was time to head by Test Track and see if I could use one of my anytime fastpasses. Luckily I was able to hop right in the FP line and I was soon designing my car and trying to look knowledgeable about what I was doing. I enjoyed my trip around the track but sadly got someone else's pictures instead of mine. Oh well, it was fun!

I stopped for a magic shot and then headed over to the DVC booth on a whim. I ended up making a tour appointment for the following day as I wanted to get some info to ambush (I mean share with) my DH. It was a perfect morning!
IMG_3245.JPG
IMG_2790.JPG

img_3245-jpg.363423

img_2790-jpg.363424
 
Last edited:
So funny, I am wearing that same shirt when I meet Joy and Sadness! It is coming up in my TR soon! It was perfect for the hot weather!

I love Tonga Toast and it is the best at Kona, I have had it at Captain Cook’s, fair but near as good.

How cool to have a chance meeting with Kari, Casey, and Jason!

Cute pictures in Epcot!
 
I have never tried Tonga Toast but I don't think I've ever seen a bad review. Definitely something to put on my "to try" list.

That's a good time for the Joy & Sadness meet. My family probably picked a bad time to do it, but we waited nearly 45 minutes. It usually seemed busy whenever we went past though.

Great luck seeing Big Al! I didn't luck into any character meets there on this last trip.

And great luck meeting up with Kari! I was hoping for a chance meeting with her too. Hopefully another time.
 


I was really pleased to see the Samoan was back on the menu and was convinced that was going to be what I would order.
I had no idea this was back on the menu. One of my favorites!

I had noticed a familiar little girl waiting patiently in line and just as I was thinking "is that Casey and Kari?" , a voice called out "Susan?" We had a great DisMeet but did not take any pictures!!! So did it really happen @kastoney ??
Funny I didn't realize you had recognized Casey and I was kicking myself later for not taking a picture. What kind of trip reporters are we? :-) So great to run into you!

I noticed Big Al coming out from the character training area. I was so excited to see him and quickly hopped in line.
img_2785-jpg.363442
Oh man we must have just missed this. Love me some country bears!

I ended up making a tour appointment for the following day as I wanted to get some info to ambush (I mean share with) my DH
:rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2:

Love this magic shot. Casey would be in heaven with this
 
I love your lantern pic! I'm going to try to convince DH that we need to get it next year. Maybe since my parents are going with us and I know my mom would love this pic too, she can help me convince the guys :love:
Thanks! I am trying to convince my DH to do this pic on our anniversary trip. I really love it!

What a great morning! I love the Figment pic!!!
Thanks Jenny! It was such a fun morning!

So funny, I am wearing that same shirt when I meet Joy and Sadness! It is coming up in my TR soon! It was perfect for the hot weather!

I love Tonga Toast and it is the best at Kona, I have had it at Captain Cook’s, fair but near as good.

How cool to have a chance meeting with Kari, Casey, and Jason!

Cute pictures in Epcot!
Thank you! I remember you had bought that shirt too. It is so comfortable! It was so nice to run into Kari and her family! Love Tonga Toast so much.... :)

I have never tried Tonga Toast but I don't think I've ever seen a bad review. Definitely something to put on my "to try" list.

That's a good time for the Joy & Sadness meet. My family probably picked a bad time to do it, but we waited nearly 45 minutes. It usually seemed busy whenever we went past though.

Great luck seeing Big Al! I didn't luck into any character meets there on this last trip.

And great luck meeting up with Kari! I was hoping for a chance meeting with her too. Hopefully another time.
Tonga Toast is super yummy but gigantic! I think first thing in the morning works well for minimizing wait times for characters. I was thrilled with Big Al meet....always love the Country Bears! Yes, it was so nice to see Kari and fam! :)
I had no idea this was back on the menu. One of my favorites!


Funny I didn't realize you had recognized Casey and I was kicking myself later for not taking a picture. What kind of trip reporters are we? :-) So great to run into you!


Oh man we must have just missed this. Love me some country bears!


:rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2:


Love this magic shot. Casey would be in heaven with this
Yes, I was just thinking that looks just like Casey when you called my name. We will be organized with pics next time we see each other, although sadly not in May for me. The Big Al meet was so fun! When Bill gets over the sticker shock of our basement reno and Jack's university tuition, maybe we can talk DVC. I am ready with info, lol!
 
What a delightful morning! Nice and easy with great luck in timing all the way around- characters, monos, lines...!! YAY!!!
 


An evening of unexpected happenings at Animal Kingdom!
I returned from Epcot around 1 pm and quickly got changed and headed over to the Oasis pool to enjoy the beautiful afternoon. I was still full from my huge breakfast at Kona so just brought along some dried fruit, popcorn and almonds to snack on as I lounged poolside. I enjoyed my lemonade/iced tea combo and had a great chat with some other guests who had recently bought DVC. More info for my pitch to DH! Around 3:30 I headed back to get ready for my evening at Animal Kingdom. After showering and dressing, I enjoyed the last of my wine out on the patio and then headed over to wait for the bus to AK. Luckily I had good bus luck this evening and was soon on my way. Upon arrival I stopped for a photo at the Tree of Life. Can you guess who I am bounding as tonight??
IMG_2822.JPG

I was heading over to Kilimanjaro Safari for my first fast pass of the evening. I stopped on the bridge to take a quick photo of the beautiful landscaping. I just love how lush AK is!
IMG_2791.JPG
The late afternoon safari was great with many animals out and active. I even got to see baby Augustus!
IMG_2802.JPG IMG_2806.JPG IMG_2797.JPG
Can you see him there behind his mom?? He is so cute!

Next up I was headed over to Pandora for my 2nd FoP ride of the trip. I had plans for drinks and nibblies at Nomad after my Everest FP (
spoiler alert, did I ever make it back there??) but I decided I would have backwards dinner and try the Malva Cake sundae first. This was delicious with a lovely spiced cake, a huge scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Yum!
IMG_2808.JPG
I strolled over to Pandora and thoroughly enjoyed another ride on Flights of Passage. The floating mountains never disappoint!
IMG_2809.JPG
I was on my way next to Expedition Everest and then had 45 minutes blocked off for a side trip to Nomad Lounge before seeing Rivers of Light. This was a great plan BUT we got stuck up by the Yeti for 45 minutes and had to be evacuated off the ride and make our way down 17 flights of stairs to the back exit!! This was an adventure I was not expecting to say the least. :eek: Although it was kind of cool to see the inside of EE. It was a bit disconcerting to look all the way up and realize exactly how high we were when were stuck on that track.

Needless to say by the time we finally got off EE it was park close and all food services were closed. The staff who rescued us were awesome and the whole situation was handled really well. We all got three anytime FPs for our trouble and I had a chance to catch a little of Rivers of Light through the fence.
IMG_2815.JPG
I decided to head back to the Poly in hopes of grabbing a bite to eat and enjoyed seeing the Tree of Life illuminations on my way out of the park.
IMG_2819.JPG
Luckily I did not have to wait long for a bus and soon was back at the Poly. I decided just to head to Captain Cooks as I didn't want anything too heavy. I ended up going for the kids chicken and pineapple skewers with a side salad. This was delicious!! The chicken was super juicy and the grilled pineapple complemented it perfectly. The salad was crisp and fresh with the yummy ginger dressing. A perfect light meal!
IMG_2821.JPG
Food totals today:
Kona Cafe ~ Tonga Toast and coffee $20.76
Tamu Tamu ~ Malva Cake Sundae $6.38
Captain Cooks ~ Chicken Pineapple skewers $8.19
Popcorn refill at Epcot ~ $1.50
Total: $36.83
Savings vs DDP ~ $75.49 - $36.83 = $38.66
 
I love the dress, I am terrible at figuring out the Dis bounding, don’t laugh at me but is it Evine? The dress was perfect for an evening at AK.

I once saw people being evacuated from EE and it looked really scary, yikes!

Love the dessert before dinner! That is A-OK at Disney! The kids meal looks good, I really like Captain Cooks.
 
tenor.gif


I had noticed a familiar little girl waiting patiently in line and just as I was thinking "is that Casey and Kari?" , a voice called out "Susan?" We had a great DisMeet but did not take any pictures!!! So did it really happen @kastoney ?? Kari, Jason and Casey were heading for lunch and I was going off to Japan to buy candy for my brood. It was lovely to see them as always!
Oh YAY Casey @kastoney she's so cute and her parents are hilarious

then headed over to the DVC booth on a whim. I ended up making a tour appointment for the following day as I wanted to get some info to ambush (I mean share with) my DH. It was a perfect morning!
:lmao: Hum I was never interested in this but each time I go I get closer and closer to touring DVC.

I even got to see baby Augustus!
Awe baby Augustus

This was a great plan BUT we got stuck up by the Yeti for 45 minutes and had to be evacuated off the ride and make our way down 17 flights of stairs to the back exit!!
yikes-gif-11.gif



Hum a wild guess Te Fiti?


I'm loving your touring style
 
The dress you have on at AK is adorable!!!
Thank you! I love the fit and flare style, so comfortable and forgiving!

I love the dress, I am terrible at figuring out the Dis bounding, don’t laugh at me but is it Evine? The dress was perfect for an evening at AK.

I once saw people being evacuated from EE and it looked really scary, yikes!

Love the dessert before dinner! That is A-OK at Disney! The kids meal looks good, I really like Captain Cooks.
Haha, you are right! Devine it is! Yes, the EE experience was not one I would want to repeat. The boys and I actually call dessert before dinner "backwards dinner". It is a cottage staple for us, lol!

I'm loving your touring style
Thank you....It's fun to be able to do what you feel like, when you want to. That's the advantage of taking a solo trip. :)
 
After showering and dressing, I enjoyed the last of my wine out on the patio and then headed over to wait for the bus to AK.

This! This is the perfect way to do Disney.

Can you see him there behind his mom?? He is so cute!

Awww, I did!!

but I decided I would have backwards dinner and try the Malva Cake sundae first. This was delicious with a lovely spiced cake, a huge scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Yum!
img_2808-jpg.364272

How vacation is done.

BUT we got stuck up by the Yeti for 45 minutes and had to be evacuated off the ride and make our way down 17 flights of stairs to the back exit!!

WOW!!! Unexpected but kinda cool!

We all got three anytime FPs for our trouble and I had a chance to catch a little of Rivers of Light through the fence.

And I'd gladly take 3 anytime FPs for 45 minutes. YOu'd save WAY more than that with them!

Luckily I did not have to wait long for a bus and soon was back at the Poly. I decided just to head to Captain Cooks as I didn't want anything too heavy. I ended up going for the kids chicken and pineapple skewers with a side salad. This was delicious!! The chicken was super juicy and the grilled pineapple complemented it perfectly. The salad was crisp and fresh with the yummy ginger dressing. A perfect light meal!
img_2821-jpg.364276

I'll have to remember this for the future!
 
Yikes!!!! I cannot believe you got stuck on EE. I love this ride but am petrified of heights so I'm not sure I could have handled it. They wouldn't have had enough alcohol in Nomads to pacify me afterwards :-)
 
just as I was coming out I noticed Big Al coming out from the character training area. I was so excited to see him and quickly hopped in line.
My favorite spot to meet characters! You got lucky with Big Al, too :)

Malva Cake sundae first. This was delicious with a lovely spiced cake, a huge scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Yum!
Ricky had the plain Malva cake in March and loved it so I know he'll enjoy this, too!

This was a great plan BUT we got stuck up by the Yeti for 45 minutes and had to be evacuated off the ride and make our way down 17 flights of stairs to the back exit!! This was an adventure I was not expecting to say the least. :eek: Although it was kind of cool to see the inside of EE. It was a bit disconcerting to look all the way up and realize exactly how high we were when were stuck on that track.
Ah, nope. Love this ride but if I had to actually think about how high I was STUCK UP on it- I'd be done :faint: Still, it's kind of cool to be evacuated off certain rides lol
 
Can you guess who I am bounding as tonight??
So the only thing I could think of was Tinkerbell, for the green leaves. But yes, Devine makes more sense!

I decided I would have backwards dinner and try the Malva Cake sundae first.
It's vacation. You're allowed to do things backwards.
I may have eaten a brownie for breakfast once. #noshame

This was a great plan BUT we got stuck up by the Yeti for 45 minutes and had to be evacuated off the ride and make our way down 17 flights of stairs to the back exit!! This was an adventure I was not expecting to say the least. :eek: Although it was kind of cool to see the inside of EE. It was a bit disconcerting to look all the way up and realize exactly how high we were when were stuck on that track.
See, I actually find this kind of interesting. I am not overly scared of heights and to get the chance to see the inner workings of the ride peaks my geek interest. Although it's bad your night got derailed, you did get the 3 FP for it. I'm not saying I want this to happen to me, but I would probably find it more interesting than annoying.
 
This! This is the perfect way to do Disney.



Awww, I did!!



How vacation is done.



WOW!!! Unexpected but kinda cool!



And I'd gladly take 3 anytime FPs for 45 minutes. YOu'd save WAY more than that with them!



I'll have to remember this for the future!
It was such a great night! I am big believer in relaxation, treats and yummy beverages! :)

Yay! I’m proud of myself, except I said her name wrong, lol!
You were on it!

Yikes!!!! I cannot believe you got stuck on EE. I love this ride but am petrified of heights so I'm not sure I could have handled it. They wouldn't have had enough alcohol in Nomads to pacify me afterwards :-)
It was a little freaky but neat to see the back stage area too.

My favorite spot to meet characters! You got lucky with Big Al, too :)


Ricky had the plain Malva cake in March and loved it so I know he'll enjoy this, too!


Ah, nope. Love this ride but if I had to actually think about how high I was STUCK UP on it- I'd be done :faint: Still, it's kind of cool to be evacuated off certain rides lol
The evac was handled so well, they took really good care of us. Yes, tell Ricky to try the sundae...it is so good! Big Al was awesome!

I'm with @kastoney and @ariane37 on this one. I love EE, but would not enjoy being stuck on it. You don't have to think about how high you are when it's going fast :rotfl2:
All I could think about was missing out on my planned time at Nomad Lounge, LOL! The backstage area was pretty cool!

So the only thing I could think of was Tinkerbell, for the green leaves. But yes, Devine makes more sense!


It's vacation. You're allowed to do things backwards.
I may have eaten a brownie for breakfast once. #noshame


See, I actually find this kind of interesting. I am not overly scared of heights and to get the chance to see the inner workings of the ride peaks my geek interest. Although it's bad your night got derailed, you did get the 3 FP for it. I'm not saying I want this to happen to me, but I would probably find it more interesting than annoying.
I liked seeing the 'behind the scenes" area and the crew handled everything really well. I never felt unsafe. Just glad I had that sundae earlier or I would have been SO hungry. :)
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!





Top