We continued out wandering. This is pretty unusual for us. We usually just get into the park, go left and hit everything that we can. Honestly, we were exhausted. Just absolutely beat. So, the wandering aimlessly became part of the trip...
We walked back thru the France and the UK and headed to Innovations. We have a Disney Visa and you get a free 5X7 with photopass. So, we headed that way. When we got to Innovations the line was long...which seemed to be another standard for this trip...but combined with the exhaustion, I'm pretty certain that the brainless act of standing in line was about the pace that we could handle
We asked the guy taking card numbers and such if the wait was long. He reassured us that the characters are aware of the line and that they move the line pretty quickly. The little girl in front of me wanted to see Minnie and wanted NOTHING to do with Goofy...Um...the CM winked and told that mom that Goofy was in there
but she didn't have to see him if she didn't want to.
We got to the front of the line and the CM at the curtain was a bit miserable. I understand busy times...but buck up!!! You're the first person that people come in contact with for this experience...She made it obvious it was work. I say...time for her to find another job.
The next CM took our photopass card. At face value she seemed a little happier. We got to see the little girl in front of us..and let me tell you...She wanted NOTHING to do with Goofy AT ALL
I will say, that Goofy did a good job of keeping his distance.
It was super cute.
Anyway, we were up next. Minnie came over took my hand, made some "small talk" Goofy did the same with DH...then we switched. Now, imagine if you will one handler...just standing there and 2 photopass photographers absolutely focused on the camera they were having an issue with and not paying ANY attention to what is going on around them...Nadda...So the cute setting up pictures that we got last time we did this photo shoot were missed. Ok what ever...we just wanted to nice 5X7...the other photos were a nice bonus but what ever...The characters get us appropriately placed...and still...neither photographer was paying attention...What happened next is hysterical...I'm convinced things like this only happen when it is just adults around...but I have a new found appreciation for Minnie & Goofy...
Goofy starts getting annoyed..and starts knocking on the background....Nope nothing...not even a "one second goofy" NOTHING!
Goofy knocks again...again...nothing.
The handler doesn't even step in at this point...DH says to Minnie, "If there is a problem with their equipment, why don't they just use ours." Minnie puts her finger in the air like she just got an idea...
The handler that wasn't paying attention all of a sudden gets irritated b/c Minnie went across the room, got our camera, and brought it to DH. DH took it out and gave the camera to Minnie, who then brought the camera to the irritated handler. FINALLY, the photopass photographers start to pay attention. About dang time! So, they take their pics and the handler takes ours...
Needless to say, that no matter how much trouble Minnie could have gotten into for "acting up" she really did save the day. It was sad that we didn't get the walking in shots-which sometimes are the funniest, but she went out of her way to create a "show" and gave us one of the best character interaction memories of this trip! (Next to Bell & Beast of course
)
Laughing...we walked thru Innovations. A lot has changed since our last trip...We watched a CM make paper and talk us through the process which was really cool. And we took part in a simulator "ride" where you can design your own bobsled, rollercoaster, or jet ride. It emphasizes the importance of math...and honestly, if I had ridden this years ago, I would have enjoyed math so much more...We designed a bobsled and then you go up, put your stuff in a locker, and they load your ride into the machine, the sit you in and you're off! It was pretty cool and would love to do it again!
As we were leaving Epcot, I was on the hunt for pins. I love pin trading..can't help it...So, I stumbled upon a DVC guy and looked at his pins...I don't even remember if we traded or not
but he locked us into an appointment at 4 the next day to listen to the DVC spiel...and he hooked us up with a $100 in Disney Dollars...We've always discussed DVC, but never really thought it was good for us...but our time was definitely worth $100 -especially b/c there was a sketch that we had seen while we were in DHS...So, we agreed...we would meet them at 4....(let me remind you we had an ADR at 5:15 for Chef Mickey's)
We got done with that...stopped by the photopass booth and got our 5X7...laughed at our interaction with the characters...and then it was off to Port Orleans Riverside for dinner.
This is where our journey continues with the wandering bit...We ASKED for the best way to get to Port Orleans and ended up with a round about way of getting there...definitely was not the best route...but made it on time for dinner anyway.
Dinner was at Boatwrights and I have to say this is a little hidden gem. When we walked in...They congratulated us! Imagine that...a little pixie dust...On their paper schedule it said "wedding" and the server looked at our table receipt and congratulated us too! See didn't take much to make me happy.
Dh had the jambalya & I had the pork chop...DH said the jambalya was awesome...the pork chop was...well...a pork chop...and honestly...I was still full from lunch...So, I think anything I ate would have been...ok...We definitely want to eat there again when we don't do Le Cellier for lunch (they had prime rib on the menu...I would have loved to try that...but you don't have just any ol' steak after you've had a meal the same day at Le Cellier...it just didn't seem right
)
When we got done we headed to DTD. I still needed to get a vinylmation mickey to drop off at Franck's the next day...So, we hopped the bus and schlepped ourselves to DTD. We hit World of Disney and asked where the Vinylmation Mickey's were....They had absolutely NO white ones. none. nadda...ok into the next line to ask where on property we could find one...There was one other store in DTD but the one with the most in stock was at Epcot. As I write this I can feel the augh! in my shoulders...we were sooo tired...there was no way we were going to Epcot. The stores had plenty of black ones...I dashed a quick text to Polynesian Bride asking if she could pick up metalic colored sharpies if we had to go with the black vinylmation as a back up...b/c believe it or not along with bubble gum you CAN NOT purchase a sharpie marker anywhere on property..AT ALL...and then schlepped over to the other store (in the Westside none-the-less) who had every other color BUT white. OK. DH offered to go to Epcot...but I was too tired and wasn't going to fight with this at the moment. I would get up early, go to Epcot and then go from there. On the way to the bus stop DH had to stop at the harley davidson store...where he found a golfball to give my dad...(If you haven't read the story...my dad only asked for a box of golfballs for my hand-big inside joke with DH and dad) So, this ball was in case of inflation
I was hoping he would give it to dad at dinner the next night, but DH said "I don't want to make a scene."
This was our wedding if we wanted to make a scene we should be more than allowed to. (stomping foot) ~breathe~
We get on the bus to the Pop...Poly Bride confirms that she has metallic markers and saves the day...
We get to our room...and open our door to this
YEAH! Pixie Dust!!!
And then it was off to bed...No sleeping in for us DH and dad had a 8AM tee time...I had to get to Epcot, change hotels, get wedding stuff over Franck's, Get to the 4PM DVC appointment...and then dinner with the whole cast of characters that were coming to our wedding...at Chef Mickeys...hmmmm...
At this point. I was well over the fact that we were there for a wedding. Done. Don't think I even cared much. Just wanted DH and I to be together, enjoying time alone...with no attachments...Pixie dust at this point had been minimal...Wasn't feeling it...or was I just too exhausted????