Have Pen, Will Travel: A Solo Trip Report--Includes Dining and CSR Reviews and Photos! - Page 20 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Day 4 Part 5 (yes, FIVE!)--Park number three--Epcot--and ‘dinner’ at Cantina San Angel.
My last question was ‘could I do three parks in one day?’ The Answer--yes. Yes I could.
I took the crowd photo of Frontierland at 4:40. I then walked through Liberty Square, Fantastyland, around Tomorrowland (taking photos the whole time for afore mentioned research purposes), across the bridge to the castle, out Main Street, and to the monorail station. I boarded the monorail, rode it to the TTC, switched to the Epcot monorail, circled Futureworld as the monorail does, and walked down and around and around towards the Epcot turnstiles, and made it through the gates by 5:20pm.
For those of you who’ve not yet made your first trip to WDW--that’s really, really far!
By 5:47, I’d found a restroom and washed my hands (I was standing on the monorail, and the pole was sticky...ick!), ridden Spaceship Earth again--man I love that ride...
...and posted three blog posts (which is how I’m tracking the times now!) This may top my insane 45 minutes from eyes open to turnstile record from earlier that morning (was it only that morning?) Again, I must say...whew! I’m actually getting tired just thinking about it!
I’d come to Epcot with one goal in mind--dinner. And I knew that I wanted a margarita with that dinner--so I headed directly to Mexico, stopping only once at what I’ve dubbed ‘the emptiest restroom in Disney’ award winner...
...yes, I actually took a photo. This was the only time all week I’d seen a restroom this empty. It is located at the back of some closed restaurant that lies at the intersection of several bridges, behind test track but before the Mexico pavilion. In my Passporter, it is labeled only ‘Odyssey’.
I had big plans to circle the world showcase, sipping my drink and sampling food, but my legs and feet had other plans. I was So. Very. Tired. Plus, it seemed like a margarita should be accompanied by Mexican food.
Before I purchased my drink, I decided to do the Gran Fiesta Tour. In my last two visits to Epcot, I wasn’t able to ride because, well, I was holding a ($14) margarita, and was understandably unwilling to part with it (did I mention they are $14?) This ride was...interesting...
...ok, it was a really, really bright, kind of obnoxious, Mexican version of It’s a Small World. The best part was when we sailed through the San Angel Inn--I tried to take some pics of how beautiful it was, but of course they didn’t turn out very well. The one neat part of the ride was the fact that I was seated at the front of a boat alone, with only one couple way in the back of the same boat. Note me resting my feet...
...ahhh! Though this didn’t make up for how uncomfortable the seats were. Is it just me, or are all WDW bench seats designed as acute angles? I encountered equally painful bench seats on Living with the Land and Ellen’s Energy Adventure. Maybe it is just an Epcot thing?
The line for Cava de Tequila was, well, a line. There simply wasn’t a line when I visited with my friend two days prior. But I was determined to have a margarita. Sadly, I ordered poorly yet again. I had the Passion Fruit margarita, despite my desire to say ‘I’ll have what he’s having’ and pointing to the man in front of me, who had a very nice margarita made from actual tequila that I watched being poured and actual limes that I watched being squeezed--my drink came from a pitcher. Note to self--when someone in line in front of you orders something that looks good, ALWAYS say ‘I’ll have what he’s having’! I’ve done this in the past with much success. I don’t know why I abandoned the plan in Epcot (perhaps because his drink was likely $28?)
I then wandered out into the fading daylight, and thought about trying to get a walk up table at Hacienda, but it was literally mobbed at that point in the evening, so I didn’t have high hopes. Instead, I visited the CS mexican ‘restaurant’, and was oddly directed away from the perfectly good line I was standing in to a clearly not open line at the far end. This caused some confusion, but eventually I ordered, paid, and was served.
Yet again, I chose poorly. I should have ordered the nachos. The nachos looked awesome. But I love empanadas, and the menu promised that they were covered in some sort of spicy green sauce (I love spicy green sauce) and served with chips--so I went with the empanadas.
They were not bad, but they were not good. More like a corn-crusted motzerella stick (or, rather, moon) than an empanada. They were also a bit too cheesy--if that’s even possible--as they were both filled with and covered in cheese. The redeeming part of the meal was the fresh (?) tortilla chips and the self-service hot sauces, into which I dipped said chips. Again, I should have had the nachos.
I was very lucky to snag this seat....
...but as I enjoyed my meal, the sun sank lower and lower, and the Illuminations sharks began to circle. As I finished my meal, I found a family that looked less than willing to aggressively stalk a seat (unlike other families that literally stood there and glared at people until they finished), and directed them to my table before exiting.
It was clearly time to return to the resort, as it was approaching 7pm and I had no intention of being caught up in the post Illuminations exodus. However, somewhere between that empty bathroom (that I stopped at again--I blame the margarita) and the exit, I found myself outside of Test Track. And it was only 7:15. And there was only a 20 minute wait for the standby line.
As I sat outside of TT, trying to finish my drink (that same margarita from over an hour before), I met a very nice woman who I determined was from North Carolina based on her accent (I was wrong--she was originally from Tennessee, and had moved to Florida) and we chatted for a while as she waited for her friends to exit TT. Right as her husband approached and she stood to leave, the single rider line wait time changed from 20 minutes to 10. Clearly, it was a sign.
So I rode Test Track again...
...this time with a very nice--but not very English speaking--family of five. I realize this can’t count as a tip as it is something you have absolutely no control over, but for the record--being seated on a ride with a family that doesn’t speak English is great. You don’t have to have that awkward obligatory conversation. You just get to scream as your car rounds a turn at over 70 mph!
After Test Track, I stood and stared at Mission Space for a good long while before deciding against it. Instead, I spent some time browsing the GIANT gift shop across from Innoventions East. Man that’s one big gift store. I found the mug I wanted to buy for a friend on my last trip...
...but upon seeing the price (something like $18) I decided against it. By this point in the trip, my credit card was in a constant state of slow smolder, like a fire that’s been burning for a while and has no intention of going out.
Somewhat sadly, I made my way out of the park, ran for the bus (that was waiting at the stop) and made my way back to CSR, all the way contemplating how insane it was for me to be sad after such a long day!
I made plans in my head to wake up early the next morning to make rope drop at AK before catching my 11:30 DME bus to the airport, with the sole purpose of riding EE as many times as possible in one hour. Though I was up early enough the next morning--at this point I was waking up on my own at 6:00-ish--I decided I needed to let go of this trip and start looking forward to the next. Which reminds me--I should get started on that Pre Trip Report--we leave in six weeks!
Up next--a final breakdown of EVERYTHING. Correction--several final breakdowns of everything!
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Sounds like fun! Don't you hate it when you order the wrong thing though? Especially at Disney when you have to wait until the next trip to have a redo.
Sounds like fun! Don't you hate it when you order the wrong thing though? Especially at Disney when you have to wait until the next trip to have a redo.
yes--that's exactly the problem! i hadn't been able to quite put my finger on it...but that's it. not being able to redo it--likely for a while, because even when you return, you'll go somewhere else.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
So...what did I manage to 'accomplish' during this trip? The Grand Total...
Rides...
Pooh (twice)
Small World
Haunted Mansion
Big Thunder Mountain RR (twice)
Pirates (twice)
Swiss Family Treehouse (not really a ride, but still)
People Mover
Tom Sawyer Island (again, not a ride...)
Soarin (twice)
Living with the Land
Nemo
Journey into Imagination
Ellen’s Energy Adventure
Test Track (twice)
Spaceship Earth (twice)
Everest (three times!)
Kilimanjaro Safari
Toy Story Midway Mania (twice)
Tower of Terror
Studio Backlot Tour
Gran Fiesta Boat Ride
Shows....
Mickey’s Philharmagic
Hall of Presidents
Turtle Talk
It’s Tough to Be a Bug
Festival of the Lion King
Nemo the Musical
Muppets 3D
Restaurants....
Dole Whip Stand
Kona Cafe
Artist’s Point
Les Chefs de France
Margaritas at Cava de Tequila
Lots of CS wine in Epcot!
Caramel Kitchen Caramel Corn
France’s Pastry Shop’s Napoleon
Yak and Yeti
Pepper Market
Starring Rolls
Brown Derby
Cantina de San Angel
So, that’s 30 rides (counting the multiple rides), 7 Shows, 5 table service restaurants, 3 snacks, two counter service restaurants, one food court, and many counters selling alcohol. Add to that dozens of pages of notes, one mini-high school reunion, and the fact that this was only a long-weekend trip, and I’d call that a success. Wow--I don’t think I realized how insane the trip was until right now. No wonder I’m still tired!
Oh and speaking of grand total, I probably should do a cost breakdown. Coming up...a cost breakdown.
I've really enjoyed your report and am sad that it's over! Glad you've got another one coming up.
I love the bathrooms in the Odesssy Center! Best bathrooms on property because they are almost always that empty! They are the exact opposite of the ones on the other side of that walkway to World Showcase, which have two stalls and a very long line. So, if you are heading to WS and need to use the facilities, always go left!
PS, I had the nachos after the marathon and they were pretty darn good, as far as nachos go!
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
Great trip report! I have really enjoyed following your journey!
You had mentioned not being able to go into HISTK's playground without a child and something struck me about that. It finally hit me that I have gone in there alone numerous times when I'm meeting my DH and children in there. I've never been questioned.
Also, at DHS, I really love the baked goods at The Writer's Stop. The carrot cake cookie sandwich is out of this world!
And I believe that the Odyssey has always been used for special functions especially during F&WF. We use those bathrooms all the time!
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And you chose the wrong margarita! Great pictures from Epcot!
Deer Isle Mom
Susan
Sorry that dinner didn't turn out so well!
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