Got back late on Saturday 4/24 from a week at Disney. Had posted about the first couple days in posts #9191 and #9233. So I'll continue from there...
Tuesday 4/20, Epcot:
Arrived after 11AM thru International Gateway. Bought Spike's PolliNation hunt game (only prize left the 2 days we were in Epcot was the Orange Bird tumbler.) Walked around the countries looking for Spike. Went to Spaceship Earth, said 30 min, was about 15 min wait. Came out to a torrential downpour. Got out our raingear and our 2 umbrellas for the 3 of us...yeah, that didn't work so well...I took the brunt of the rain. Hurried thru the rain to The Seas...ride was down, but you could enter the aquarium area. Changed out my soaked cloth mask for a disposable that I'd brought as a backup. We walked around the aquarium area, DD16 loves rays, so she was happy. It was raining less, so we headed to Land pavillion...got in line for Living with the Land and they shut down the ride due to problems. They weren't running the Awesome Planet movie due to using the theater as a place for people to socially distance out of the rain. Soarin' had a long wait...left the pavillion. Sooo many people in the Land building during the rainstorm! We were all hungry now, still raining out, so we went to World Showplace to get festival food out of the rain. Eventually found an empty table. Nothing was too appealing, but did end up getting Dark Chocolate Raspberry Tart from Cider House, Warm Asparagus Salad and Strawberry Rhubarb Upside Down Cake from Epcot Farmer's Feast, and Watermelon Salad, Beef Brisket Burnt Ends/Pork Belly Slider, Fried Green Tomatoes with Crab salad, and Frozen Lemonade at Festival Favorites. Heard the Piano Player while there...and found a Spike the Bee location inside! Walked back to Boardwalk to rest before dinner at Trattoria al Forno. DD16's knee had started bothering her the day before, so we iced her knee. Managed to move our ADR to 5:30 instead of 7PM. Had a great dinner of appetizers/sides/dessert. Then walked back to Epcot for the evening. Got a lot accomplished--walked onto Figment, Land x2, Soarin x2, and 30 min wait for Test Track to end the night. Left park around 10:45PM Walked 19,000 steps today.
Wednesday 4/21 Magic Kingdom:
DD's knee was still bothering her...walked straight to First Aid upon entering park hoping they had an Ace Bandage she could have (couldn't find anything at resort store other than some Ben Gay which didn't help.) Nurse wrapped up her knee, gave us empty plastic bags to fill with ice to ice her knee, and let us borrow a red 'in park only' wheelchair for the day. So...off we went around Magic Kingdom with DD16 in a wheelchair to try to prevent her knee from getting worse with all the walking we normally do at the parks. Can't remember what we got done...it was busy during the afternoon (like 30 minutes for Country Bears busy...), did end up going on the riverboat at one point, got return times for some queues that aren't wheelchair accessible. Lots of people in the parks again...wait times 30-60 minutes for most rides during afternoon. Mobile Ordered lunch at Tomorrowland Terrace--I had the Harbor salad (yummy), DH had the kids salad, DD had the chicken nuggets. Had a good dinner at Jungle Skipper Canteen, wait times started going down then and got on a bunch of rides before park closed at 9PM...including Winnie the Pooh which DD regretted once we got to Tigger bouncing...jostled her injured knee a good bit. Managed to catch a bus back to Boardwalk pretty quickly! Walked 14,000 steps today.
Thursday 4/22 Epcot, DD's 17th birthday!!!
After 11AM, took the boat from Boardwalk to Epcot to save DD17 some walking with her wrapped knee. Rented a wheelchair in the park (did a multi day rental to save $4.) Started walking around countries again to eat lunch at Festival booths and go shopping. Had Frushi in Japan (DD17's favorite!), then went shopping at the Japan store. DD got a Kimono and bow with a Disney gift card my Dad gave her for her b-day...she was supposed to be on a school trip to Japan over her 16th birthday...and then 17th birthday...but trip got cancelled altogether. Listened to Voices of Liberty at America Gardens stage. Got more food at Trowel and Trellis--Impossible Korean short rib, Lavender Pot de Creme, Energize Matcha Cranberry and Lime Green Tea and food from The Honey Bee-stro--Chicken Flatbread, and the Honey Cheesecake--DD ate ALL the cheesecake and loved it! Went to Canada to go to the movie (since DD is already sitting in the wheelchair...my kids hate standing at the Circle Vision movies, lol.) They were having some technical difficulties, but we just hung around in the bench area and did a video call with our college daughter until the movie was back up and running. Sent DH back to the hotel with our packages (and he stopped at the Tea Caddy on the way back.) I took DD thru the Butterfly Garden...2 butterflies landed on her injured leg and just sat there for a good 10 minutes. Met up with DH by the Seas, did that ride. Decided to go to Mousegears to see if they have any Crocs for sale as my left foot was killing me (blister on the baby toe and ball of foot was hurting from walking funny...too narrow sandals.) The CM I asked only showed me the black ones saying they don't have much in stock...size 12...then, as I was wandering store, I came across 'The Child' shiny silver Crocs in size 10, decided that would work (I wear an 8.5, but with the strap down it fit well), had cashier remove all tags and as soon as I left the store I put them on. Soooo much better and I could walk again vs. hobbling around more and more. (And they're so cute!!!) Headed to the Land next for dinner at Garden Grill, not the best booth location as there's just a small area for the characters to peer down. (something blocking that particular booth)..luckily they could go just above DD, so DH took some good pics of her with the characters and Chip/Dale were funny when they came around multiple times. Food was tasty. Afterwards went to the Land ride (walk on) and Soarin (20 min). Went on Mexico boat ride, checked Frozen wait...line still fully into China winding all around, kept walking, got DD an expensive dress at the Dapper Day pop up shop between Germany/the Outpost, looked at the Jazz display at America...DD didn't want to do American Adventure, so we headed back towards Norway to see if Frozen line was any better...not really, but Test Track had gone down, so got in line for that, maybe 20 min?, went back to Frozen and waited about 20 min. (line was between Norway/China) to end our night. Left park around 10:45PM again. Walked 18,000 steps today.
Friday 4/23 Magic Kingdom
Got there around Noon, picked up the wheelchair for DD. No idea what order we did stuff, lol. Seemed a little less crowded today than Mon/Wed, especially after 2PM, seemed like people hopped to other parks vs hopping TO Magic Kingdom today. Mobile Ordered from Friar's Nook...DD wanted an Uncrustable, and DH and I split a Buffalo Chicken Tots, and DD also ate the Cheese Tots...took a good 15 minutes for them to 'prepare our order.' Definitely some clueless people in the park who would sit right next to us on the concrete benches, especially where everyone is eating/drinking. Had to move twice to get some separation from people. At some point during the day/evening we did Buzz/Carousel of Progress/Peter Pan x2/Haunted Mansion x2/Jungle Cruise/Ariel x 2/ Mickey's Philharmagic/Country Bears. We had dinner at Be Our Guest. Love the Filet Mignon, so good! Again we did get a lot accomplished after dinner and left the park around 8:45PM. Walked 13,000 steps today.
Saturday 4/24 Travel Day
We had an 11:30AM Beaches and Cream reservation, took the boat over to Yacht Club and walked from there. DD17 had plain tots and an Oreo Shake. DH and I split Chili Cheese Tots and a Minnie Souvenir Sink Sundae (vanilla/chocolate/strawberry ice cream, Hot fudge/butterscotch/peanut butter, 2 pieces of brownie, 2 oreos, chocolate chips, whipped cream, sprinkles, and cherries for $23.99) Yummy! Wandered around Yacht Club, went in the shop there, took boat back to Boardwalk, looked in shop there, then DD wanted to just sit in the A/C in the lobby while we waited for our 4:15PM Magical Express shuttle. Our original plan for the day was to go mini golfing at Fantasia gardens after Beaches and Cream...but not with DD's knee hurting. So we just hung out at the resort. DH got me a Cucumber Mojito from the pool bar and got DD a Mickey pretzel. Magical Express just picked up from Boardwalk and Riviera, everyone socially distanced themselves (much better than our August experience where people sat near us and removed their masks.) Took our luggage over to A to do self check in for Southwest. About 10 minute wait for security at MCO. DD got pulled aside, wanded her wrapped knee and swabbed her hands, but they didn't find anything. (I'm sure she was sweating, especially behind the knee wrap.) A lot more people at MCO than over the summer...people have to sit right near you as there just aren't many empty gates any more, plus there were a lot of flight delays due to weather while there. Our flight was delayed 20 minutes, but still arrived 10 minutes early to Manchester, NH.
Overall a good trip, definitely more people not wearing masks properly and not social distancing in lines vs our July/August trip. We always left plenty of space in front of us. I'd say it was at 90% proper mask usage...sometimes more sometimes less, depends upon where you are. DD17 commented multiple times that she'd be surprised if she didn't get sick from the trip...which is just kind of sad...if people just followed the rules in place, others wouldn't feel apprehensive, especially in a park with lots of kids who either aren't old enough to get a vaccine or whose states haven't opened it up to them.
