Grateful, Thankful, Blessed: our 25th Anniversary SeaWorld Celebration (Spring ’18 TR)

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I agree that hockey is more, but I don't know how they would have fit it in. I'm pretty sure it's in the movie. I'm not sure everyone would think of the Buchart Gardens either but I think that's what the garden area is based off. Maybe they only went to the west? I would think Niagra Falls would have been good too, or maybe there's a waterfall of some sort in there that I can't remember. We didn't go through all the pavilions last trip.

I've bought Timmies hot chocolate there in the canister to bring back for my mom. I think they had coffee too. This was back in 2016 so they may not have it any more. I didn't need to look last trip because I knew I'd be going to Canada a few months after the last trip and could just get it then.

Hmmmm, maybe if we ever realize our dream of relocating to Florida, I will apply to be an Epcot Imagineer, specializing in consulting for the Canadian pavilion . I already have so many ideas! There would be hockey, there would be Mounties, there would be a Tim Hortons, a Beavertails kiosk (for those not familiar, we're talking these kind of Beavertails: http://beavertails.com/en/ ....not the animal kind ), butter tarts and a tribute to Terry Fox. And a small tote pole or two, just for my west coast comrades .

No- I haven't had those- but we're due for a dinner at Happy Jack's and will stop at a store to look for those!

It's pure Buffalo too!! It's funny- we have a Tim's at the airport and I hear so many people that comment as we exit to baggage claim how much they missed Tim's in Florida!! I think we have one every mile on the road! What do you think, Gina? You, me, Steve, and Joe open a Tim's in Orlando?? Near the Vistana of course! We would have a gold mine between the Canadians and WNYers on vacation!!

You absolutely MUST seek out a home baked butter tart.....not the prepackaged ones in the grocery store, but one make by a good bakery. OMG, they are divine!! We had a Butter Tart factory in our community back home that produced the most amazing tarts, second only to my mom's. They were even voted one of the best in the country: http://www.canadianliving.com/food/food-tips/article/canada-s-best-butter-tarts (Rachel's in Trenton).

I'm totally on board for a joint Tim's venture in the sunny south! With all the northerners down there, I suspect it would be an instant success. I'm not joking.....if you and Joe ever decide to give it a go, keep us in mind!!

Erm...... A Welsch Dragon was maybe the name of the drink? I don't even know. All I know was that it was also green, like my margarita.

Good memory!

For anyone who is interested, here's the recipe:

http://allears.net/din/recipes/rec-wdr.htm

And a pic (not mine, borrowed from the internet):

Yup, Welsh Dragon is the green drink from Rose and Crown! Have had it a few times

T was kind enough to let me try a sip, and it was super tasty. I'd order it myself on a future visit!

I plan on buying some when we have our trip next month (did I say that loud enough - next month!!). I'm thinking my staff would like them for Christmas gifts!

You shrew.....rubbing in that your trip is SO close!

Just kidding, my friend......I am SO EXCITED for you guys!!!

You may have mentioned it once or twice......

Actual photo of our friend @Ruthie5671 :

Its the Welsh Dragon - its yummy!!

What a popular drink!! Now I feel like I really missed out on a good opportunity .

Which strikes me as funny, coming from the queen of Good Buys and all...

Glad you had some good family time.

Can you tell I'm almost caught up... Just one more page to go.

ETA: Phew! And done. Finally caught up. Okay, full steam ahead!

BTW, did you let @orangecats2 know you were back at it? Don't think I've seen her chime in yet either.

Ah yes, "good buys" .... definitely my forte in comparison to the "good byes" . You are always so clever!! Why oh why can't I be talented in BOTH areas?!?!

I'm not sure I am familiar with that poster.....is it someone who may have joined in under another name? Or am I getting that forgetful? (always a possibility , I'm not getting any younger).

I do notice that @dancin Disney style hasn't dropped in yet to stay hello. Dancin.......yoo hoo, where are you? @bankr63 needs some back-up over here LOL.

And now that you're all caught up, I guess its time for me to get typing again. I will move heaven and earth to get another update this weekend. Sounds like its going to be rainy here in SE Michigan right through to and including Sunday, so that should force me to get focused and posting again.

 

[verleniahall]

What a popular drink!! Now I feel like I really missed out on a good opportunity .

You will have to try it on your next trip!!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Thanks for you patience, everyone, as I have stalled a bit on the report updates. It's been a crazy busy week here and I just couldn't seem to find an hour to sit down and type out a decent entry. Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day .

The next couple of weeks are poised to be a bit chaotic, actually.....I am excited to be embarking on a new career venture . I gave my notice to my current employer just over a week ago [which was SUPER hard, as they've been incredibly kind to me.....there were tears from everyone in the office, including my boss, when I broke the news], and I start in my new position on June 19th. They've been unable to find a suitable candidate to replace me thus far, so I've been working extra hard to prepare them for my departure; hopefully some additional efforts on my part will minimize their difficulties as they continue to recruit and subsequently train the new staff member. That's meant some long, busy days at the office.....and busy evenings getting outdoor stuff done while the sun shines .

While it was tough to make the decision to leave my current job (where I have some fantastic coworkers), this new opportunity seems absolutely ideal for me. It's very similar to the role I held at the firm I worked for in Canada for 18 years before we moved, and is going to offer me a better challenge than I have currently with higher pay (which is always a bonus!) and a WAY shorter commute . For anyone who knows what metro Detroit traffic can be like, that alone was a huge deciding factor: my new job will be less than a mile from my front door. In the middle of January, when the snow is flying, that will be the best perk of all!! I have one more week + 1 day left in my current position, and start in my new role on June 19th. Wish me luck! I really hope, now that we have put down some roots in a new community and are taking a more long-term view of our life here in the USA, that this will be the beginning of my "forever-job" (or, at least, my "forever-until- @pattyw -and-I-open-a-Tim-Hortons-in-Orlando" job ).

We are off to do some shopping, but I'll try to get a trip report entry posted before the end of the night. Thanks again for bearing with me! There always seems to be something wacky happening in my crazy life!

 

[bobbie68]

Hi on your new job. What an exciting but stressful time. It sounds like it is such a positive move for you and that's what counts. I wish you lots of luck in it.

I can't wait till you continue your trip report but I do understand how life gets in the way.

Hey I will be relocating to the Orlando area within 2 years, so I will be there if you ever open your Tim Horton's with pattyw I will be your first patron

 

[pattyw]

You absolutely MUST seek out a home baked butter tart.....not the prepackaged ones in the grocery store, but one make by a good bakery. OMG, they are divine!! We had a Butter Tart factory in our community back home that produced the most amazing tarts, second only to my mom's. They were even voted one of the best in the country: http://www.canadianliving.com/food/food-tips/article/canada-s-best-butter-tarts (Rachel's in Trenton).

I will definitely seek these out when we go to Ft. Erie!

I'm totally on board for a joint Tim's venture in the sunny south! With all the northerners down there, I suspect it would be an instant success. I'm not joking.....if you and Joe ever decide to give it a go, keep us in mind!!

I bet it would make a lot of $$. I've never worked in the restaurant business, but I'm an accountant so I can be the business person!!

I am excited to be embarking on a new career venture

Yay!! Congratuluations!!

going to offer me a better challenge than I have currently with higher pay (which is always a bonus!) and a WAY shorter commute

Higher pay = more vacation $$

(or, at least, my "forever-until- @pattyw -and-I-open-a-Tim-Hortons-in-Orlando" job ).

I know I just met you guys but we'd work good together!

Hey I will be relocating to the Orlando area within 2 years, so I will be there if you ever open your Tim Horton's with pattyw I will be your first patron

Sounds good, Bobbie!! Lucky you- a soon-to-be Floridian!!

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Well Gina you certainly never stay still! Congratulations on the new job I hope you settle into this one and get into a routine again. I hope Steve is well, no doubt working hard now he's back home.

Can you believe I can start making ADRs tomorrow for our December vacation, time is flying by.

 

[vrajewski10513]

or, at least, my "forever-until- @pattyw -and-I-open-a-Tim-Hortons-in-Orlando" job ).

Awe, man! I need a piece of this!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

You will have to try it on your next trip!!

No Disney days planned for the next trip (not yet, anyway), but definitely for whenever we get to Epcot next . Though, I would love our next Disney day to be Animal Kingdom .... we haven't been there since 2009, and only for one day at that. So much has changed since then!

Hi on your new job. What an exciting but stressful time. It sounds like it is such a positive move for you and that's what counts. I wish you lots of luck in it.

I can't wait till you continue your trip report but I do understand how life gets in the way.

Hey I will be relocating to the Orlando area within 2 years, so I will be there if you ever open your Tim Horton's with pattyw I will be your first patron

So awesome that you will be living your Florida dream so soon! I am so envious and so happy for you, all at the same time .

Yay!! Congratuluations!!

Higher pay = more vacation $$

Great minds think alike ..... those are almost my exact words to Steve after I accepted the job .

Thanks for the congrats, I am excited and nervous at all the same time. I just hope I do well and catch on quickly.

Well Gina you certainly never stay still! Congratulations on the new job I hope you settle into this one and get into a routine again. I hope Steve is well, no doubt working hard now he's back home.

Can you believe I can start making ADRs tomorrow for our December vacation, time is flying by.

Ha ha, there always does seem to be something weird or wonderful happening to us lately. I'm honestly ready to be dull and boring again.....all this "excitement" is draining .

Good luck on snagging all the ADR's you're hoping for! What are your dining must-do's for this trip? Sure makes you realize how close a trip is getting once you hit that magic ADR day!!

Awe, man! I need a piece of this!

Well, if @pattyw is doing the accounting and I'm doing the balance of the office administration, we will need someone who actually knows how to make coffee . I can't make a decent pot to save my life, and rely on my Keurig for a decent cup at home. If you can make a pot that doesn't have the consistency of motor oil, you're hired! Think you could convince Jeremy to move south?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Saturday, May 5th: EPCOT, continued

As we headed into Karamell-Kuche, the skies opened up and it really started to rain. Our timing was impeccable . It was a great time to be heading indoors for a spell.

Let me say, there was no “sweeter” place to wait out the afternoon shower. The smell in the air was absolutely captivating, and I swear I gained five pounds just from sniffing the scents that wafted by as we gazed at the glass display cases filled with rich, caramel-inspired treats .

It really wasn’t packed inside when we first entered (of course, as the rain beat down outdoors it drove many others in after us) but the line moved fairly slowly. That was actually a good thing in our case, as it was difficult to decide what to have and we needed that time to narrow down our options. Seriously, it all looked divine, and my sweet tooth was begging for one of everything.

As we inched our way up toward the counter, T was laughing at the way I pronounce “caramel” [care-a-mell]. “Does it bother you when someone calls it ‘car-mull’?” she asked sweetly .

She’s so cheeky . I love that about her!

Once we picked our selections and paid, we moved into the little gift shop to enjoy our snacks while the rain continued outside the doors. Steve decided on some time of caramel bar, which was this divine square of a shortbread-type base covered in smooth, velvety caramel. It was quite sizeable for a single-serve portion so he didn’t mind sharing a bite or two with me, and OMG it was good. So good, in fact, that I didn’t even manage a photo before he was licking the remnants from his fingers. Ya snooze, ya lose . I would almost be inclined to choose that myself on a future visit.

T and I both opted for the chocolate covered caramels.....I had the milk chocolate version, and I believe she chose the one covered in dark chocolate. I wanted to sample their signature caramel in its purest form, so this seemed like the most fitting choice.

On a scale of 1-10, I give it a firm 12 . It was AMAZING . The caramel was smooth and rich, the chocolate was creamy and delicious, and the sea salt on top was the perfect balance for all that sugar. I could have eaten my weight in those little delicacies. It would be worth going up a full pants size .

A quick check of the time noted that we should start making our way to the front of the park for our next Fastpass at Spaceship Earth. Mother Nature must have been feeling quite cooperative that day, because while it was still lightly drizzling as we left Karamell-Kuche, the rain continued to lighten as we walked and had all but stopped by the time we made it to the entrance to the queue. Wahoo!

With our Fastpasses, we were in a car and our way with pretty much no wait at all. T and I rode together while Steve had the ride vehicle behind us to himself. I really enjoy this attraction [which showcases the history of communication], and only wish I took more photos as we rode……but I must have been rather engrossed in the experience, because all I snapped was this one of the stars. That’s what happens when I’m allow myself to be a Chatty Cathy with our delightful host!

After the ride, we were delighted to find all three of us on the big screens in the post-ride room: Steve on the giant globe (bottom right)……….

…..while T & I were on the wall screens:

I always wanted to try scuba diving!!

We also emailed our ride postcards to ourselves from their computers. It’s a fun little feature that makes for a cool little memory. I adore those kinds of special touches that guests can take advantage of for free.

I think it was after we wrapped up at Spaceship Earth that we opted to take a break for lunch (@chiamarie , let me know if this isn’t correct…..I took no photos of our lunch break so I have a bit fat nothing to go on for that part of the day ). We ducked into Sunshine Seasons for lunch, as I had heard such good things about the food offerings there. Most sources seem to say that it’s the best counter service in Epcot so it seemed like a safe bet. It was super busy in the Land at that point in the day, and we were lucky to find a table once we had selected and paid for our food. If memory serves me right, T had a very healthy looking salad (sticking with her green theme of the day) while Steve and I picked from the Asian selections: Mongolian beef and rice for Steve, sweet and sour chicken with rice for me. It was….fine. Disney-pricey, of course, and unremarkable but not awful. It pains me a bit to think that that was supposed to be the “best” counter service in the park, but I'll temper that by admitting that I’m a fussy girl so perhaps I’m just being too picky. We didn’t leave hungry and the food was palatable, but its not somewhere I’d go rushing back to anytime soon. Me personally, I preferred the fast food at the Electric Umbrella when we visited the year prior. It was good to get hydrated, though, and recharge with the opportunity to sit-down during the heat of the day in the air conditioned building.

We had a decent amount of time at our disposal prior to our final Fastpass….the much anticipated Test Track!.....so we decided to head over to the Living Seas.

Coming up: our afternoon gets a little “fishy”.

 

[I-4Bound]

Congratulations on the new job! That is so exciting, and awesome for a short commute. The Canada Pavilion at Epcot used to sell Beaver tails back in the day. I believe my husband and I enjoyed one on our honeymoon 21 years ago.

We arrived in Kissimmee this afternoon, and we tried out Wonderland cookie dough this evening! My daughter was in heaven. It was even better than we thought it was going to be.

 

[verleniahall]

I pronounce it the same as you. Care-a-Mel

 

[vrajewski10513]

Well, if @pattyw is doing the accounting and I'm doing the balance of the office administration, we will need someone who actually knows how to make coffee . I can't make a decent pot to save my life, and rely on my Keurig for a decent cup at home. If you can make a pot that doesn't have the consistency of motor oil, you're hired! Think you could convince Jeremy to move south?

I think i can handle coffee!! And Jeremy definitely wouldn’t take too much convincing to make that move!

It pains me a bit to think that that was supposed to be the “best” counter service in the park, but I'll temper that by admitting that I’m a fussy girl so perhaps I’m just being too picky.

You’re not being picky. I definitely wouldnt say sunshine seasons is the best QS in the park.. especially in Epcot. There are soooo many different food offerings in the World showcase i could find a handful of better options.

 

[Joanna71985]

Best of luck with the new job!

 

[pattyw]

Awe, man! I need a piece of this!

We need more for our corporation!

Great minds think alike ..... those are almost my exact words to Steve after I accepted the job .

Thanks for the congrats, I am excited and nervous at all the same time. I just hope I do well and catch on quickly.

Yep- I don't mind working more hours or take on a side accounting job- I always tell Joe- more days on vacation!!

A new job always brings on nervousness but excitement at the same time!

Well, if @pattyw is doing the accounting and I'm doing the balance of the office administration, we will need someone who actually knows how to make coffee . I can't make a decent pot to save my life, and rely on my Keurig for a decent cup at home. If you can make a pot that doesn't have the consistency of motor oil, you're hired! Think you could convince Jeremy to move south?

We are going to have a good group of people here- this may actually happen some time!!

I think i can handle coffee!! And Jeremy definitely wouldn’t take too much convincing to make that move!

Yep- we're just a few years away from semi-retirement!

 

[verleniahall]

I run the chamber, visitors bureau, young professionals, and farmers market - I can help with this business venture! I’ve got connections!!

 

[pattyw]

I run the chamber, visitors bureau, young professionals, and farmers market - I can help with this business venture! I’ve got connections!!

This is getting very interesting! Gina, we may have to call a business meeting for all of us- we'd have to meet in Orlando- the site of our business!!

 

[bankr63]

I'm not sure I am familiar with that poster.....is it someone who may have joined in under another name? Or am I getting that forgetful? (always a possibility , I'm not getting any younger).

I do notice that @dancin Disney style hasn't dropped in yet to stay hello. Dancin.......yoo hoo, where are you? @bankr63 needs some back-up over here LOL.

OMG - that was a complete brain-fart (can you say that on DIS? I guess I'll find out - if it gets starred out it was a "gaseous emanation of the grey (or gray) matter). I was completely thinking of Dancin' when I tagged OC2. She is (still) a regular poster on one of my (other) favorite Canadian TR writer's reports. @pkondz writes a mean trip report, but I kind if weaseled out on his because they got so popular that I could never keep up. The fun kind of drops out when you realize you are always 2-3 pages behind, and then you stop posting because your posts always seem to all be non-sequiturs.

So anyway, I've had the desired effect I guess, since YOU have now tagged DDS which was my intent. And who knows? Maybe I just attracted a couple of more readers to the fun reports of @Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina with my errant tags. I've got to say that I like both of your reporting for the same reasons. Not your average "we went here and did this, and ate that" trip reports; both of you are a lot more fun than that, and a great bunch of followers on both reports.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

The chocolate caramel looks delicious. I think I've had that before.

As for my ADRs, I'm not too sure. We need to book somewhere for Christmas Day, I also fancy going to Chefs Homecomin, Trails End and perhaps Garden Grill for breakfast, although the hefty Christmas prices are a bit off putting. I've also read good things about CG brunch but at over $80 (I think), it may be out of the picture!

We will eat offsite in the main, but have the QSDP for the first week, so just a few reservations to make really for the last 2 weeks.

 

[chicagoshannon]

When I was there in May, I pronounced it car mel and the people behind me started talking about how they pronounce it just like you do. It was funny. I think they were from England. I think even different parts of the US pronounce it differently. The CM didn't seem to mind either pronunciation. I always get the caramel popcorn and this time tried both the brownie (was really dry) and the caramel butter bar (far too sweet for me) on the 2 days we went. I much prefer the caramel square that you got to either of those two choices.

My favorite food this trip from Epcot this time was the Chilequiles from the stand outside of Mexico. Had it twice. Also, I think Sunshine Seasons has gotten worse over the years. We too prefer Electric Umbrella lately. I heard goo things about the Ramen in Japan though so will probably try that next time.

 

[afan]

I heard goo things about the Ramen in Japan though so will probably try that next time.

Where is there ramen in Japan? I've eaten at the qs there, good chicken teriyaki and looked at the menus recently to figure out my Nov trip but don't remember ramen anywhere. That would be good.