The ABCs of An EPIC Girls' Trip! May, 2019-Q is for: Quietly Sending this Trip Report off Into an Internet Sunset (8/25)

[Steppesister]

Hi Liesa! I'm joining in, of course! It was so lovely to meet you!

AWww, hi, Sweet Lady! I'm so glad you're here and joining in! It just wouldn't be the same without you!

That's my kind of pixie dust!! How sweet of her!

Jill and I have been trying to meet for literally YEARS! What better way than to share a bit of space and laugh it up a lot?

This is so colorful, I love it!

It was as tasty as it was pretty!

Nothing inspires me to run quite like this!

.... or slow down when you see it just pulling out.

There is getting tired and bored with the preshow and all the um-ing and uh-ing!!

LOLOL! I loved how we all quoted all that um-ing and ah-ing!!

 

[Steppesister]

I think it must be the giggling factor....I've been several times in the heat of the day and had lackluster drivers. Process of elimination.

I'm confused...

Surgery on her hear? I presume it's a typo, but not sure if you were using your phone and it decided to change correct words to something dumb like my phone does.
Tell you mom I said hi and praying for her.

Makes sense! I will neither confirm nor deny that at least one party bus go-er nodded off during our safari.

Yes... sorry. Ear.

Will do!

 

[Steppesister]

I, unlike you, have not managed to clear out my watched threads page, so I am a little behind. However, I just read your safari update and thought the up close of the African dog picture was great!

The word "was" is the operative word here. I WAS caught up and am now precisely 25 threads behind again. Sigh.... that's what weekends are for.

Thanks for the sweet complements. I love trying to get new photos of the animals each time I go and see what they are up to. Next time I will try again for a clearer pic of the dog.

 

[Steppesister]

I think we've found ourselves another Baobab lover!

No...we have another Kelly's tree person.

Liesa's new trend is catching on!

They need a sign on it designating it as such! The Safarisonia kellitata... instead of Adansonia digitata.

 

[Steppesister]

Your safari photos are amazing!!! I’m partial to giraffes but all are incredible! As for the best side of the jeep ... it’s usually the side I’m not on.

Aww, thank you Christine!! And

It's so fun to have you here and join in on all the silly laughs we have here. I hope you enjoy our company!

And yes, of all the comments so far, yours may very well be the most accurate!

 

[pkondz]

Nah, I'll be gentle. Promise.

I bet that's what you tell all the patients before you do that to them!

Then let's call it the same rhino from a different angle.

Deal!

OHhh, derp. That was WAY too easy!

© Jungle Cruise skippers

 

[Steppesister]

I bet that's what you tell all the patients before you do that to them!

Well, yeah, but especially with catheters.

© Jungle Cruise skippers

Oy! been a while since I've heard that one on a cruise.

 

[ariane37]

I finally caught up! It's fun reading about the tour since I MISSED IT but happy for you all who got to experience it!

 

[pkondz]

Well, yeah, but especially with catheters.

Oy! been a while since I've heard that one on a cruise.

Love that one.
Heck... love the whole kitschy cruise.

 

[Steppesister]

I finally caught up! It's fun reading about the tour since I MISSED IT but happy for you all who got to experience it!

Thanks for reading along, Ariane. We're sad you missed it too, but I'm sure there is going to be another EPIC trip and you can plan for that one!

 

[cinderkelly]

GIVE THAT GIRL A PRIZE!!!!!!!

What???? That was a seriously awesome hippo joke

 

[Steppesister]

X is for: eXtra Time in an eXtra Magical Place
​

Where the wild beasts roam was not the only place I visited on that particular day. After a brief break back at Kidani, I was refreshed and recharged enough to head back out. I looked at my handy-dandy laminated flip book schedule (as if I hadn't had it memorized word for word weeks before) and boarded a bus to MK. I really had no agenda but did have some FiPs that I was either going to use and be content or not use and be just as perfectly content.

With a spring in my saunter, I waltzed through bag check to the tunes of the Sherman Brothers and made my way under the tunnel. Oh, how those tunnels bring back memories of my childhood! Side note: Once upon a time there was a wall calendar for sale that had a collection of the retro attraction posters; I took a look for it in a few places this trip and it is not there. I am hoping that I can find one during my September trip closer to the beginning of the new year.



It was early evening by the time I began my dip into the park, but I had nothing but an empty evening stretched out ahead of me. The sky was threatening all around the Magic Kingdom that evening, but so far the weather still looked promising. A giddy feeling washed over me as old timey Joplin surrounded me and in no time I was enlisting the help of a passing CM to take my picture. I’ve never had a passerby refuse to do this favor and, in most cases, people are pretty happy to pause to snap a few. Truth be told, they often turn out better than the PP shots. Best part? No line and YOU get to set up the shots.







I didn’t hurry up Main Street, USA, but didn’t go into any shops either. I’d only had a small salad earlier in the day at Satuli, so was rather peckish. When one is on Main Street and feeling that way, one stops at Casey’s for corn dog nuggets. It’s what’s done. There is rumor and debate over the new chicken variety, but they are still pretty good in my, at times, unrefined 3-year old palate. Slathered in mustard, I ate the entire basket but 2, along with some hot, crispy fries and my free Coke. Yes, I did just say free. While not a Grand Floridian upgrade, I was comped a Coke. Story time with Steppe: When I ordered, I legit thought I was ordering a meal (I was) but “meal” means nuggets and fries…sans Coke. Where else on the planet is a "meal" a meal that doesn't come with a drink? Confused when I picked up my tray (I’d mobile ordered, so no line whatsoever), I asked, “Do the meals come with a Coke?” “No, but here is one because it’s your birthday!” Suh-weet!! I don’t drink pop, like ever, but this tasted good with my little deep fried golden pieces of heaven consumed with the most amazing view on the planet (the planet where "meals" don't come with a drink). Sadly, the piano player was just finishing his set, which made me really kinda sad. I love listening to him as I relaxed there on the Corner. I was also sad a bit it wasn't Jim who I usually see perform.





The reason he had to finish up was because that ridiculous parade asking me to shake it started to roll by. (Sorry to all the Move It, Shake It fans, but… lame. I know there are a lot of you who love this parade, but generally speaking I avoid them like I'd avoid a 30-minute Small World wait and this one especially.) It completely destroyed my Victorian reverie, and I, in haste, got up and turned left into more exotic realms.







Tribal drumming replaced ragtime and soon I was in Castillo Del Morro watching my purse a bit more carefully. I hear the auction block sells pilfered goods instead of hot red heads now. Sorry boys, there’s lots of rum though. My excursion through the flaming ruins was full of high drama as it always it. The pirates never seem to get the mayor to actually drown, the women never catch their men, and the prisoners are still trying to grasp the key to life. It's like a daytime drama called As the World Burns.



After narrowly escaping, I headed out into the thick air of Central Florida and headed to the frontier the back way. I was simply wandering and taking it all in; the music, the sights, a pound of water vapor with each breath… I took a few photos of things that caught my eye- nothing special really. I just walked towards my next FP with WAY too much time on my hands.





This one was funny as we have a nurse with the last name of Herrick; she was amused....



Lines were too long to go on any rides, so I paused at HM to really look carefully at it. I found a little low rock wall beside the exit and sat for a bit updating my Trip Notes then took some photos of the area.





"Here lies Eric. Met his fate at the end of a garden rake. May he rest in pieces." I must have a sick sense of humor because I find that hilarious.





Getting artsy-fartsy...





The sky was beginning to look rather threatening so after a few more photos around the HM I popped into Momento Mori. I liked quite a few things in there, but I’m a tightwad at heart when it comes to “stuff” so passed on tapping my band. I headed out the back door to use the Tangled potties and, as I headed back toward HM, I noticed a woman and her son staring at a tree. “Okay”, I said to myself, “people don’t just stare at trees. Ask her what she sees.” I did, and she told me all about the Hidden Pascal Game. Well!!! That was perfect!!! I LOVE the Disney scavenger hunts around the properties and this was a brilliant way to use up the 30 minutes I had until my FP for HM, so I spent the next while finding 7 of the supposed 10 Pascals around the Tangled Tinkle Area. For those of you who don’t know about this cute little game, there are “10” (rumor is there are 10, but most websites/blogs I’ve looked at since returning show 7 or so in photos- the same number I found) camouflaged Pascals in the landscaping, on trees, lightposts, flowerboxes, etc.. Some are majorly hard!

****SPOILER ALERT!!! IF YOU WANT TO PLAY THIS NEXT TIME YOU'RE THERE, SCROLL PAST!!!!!!****















Egrets are easier to find:



Other random photos of the Tangled Area:





The heat and humidity were oppressive, I was growing really tired, my feet hurt, it was busy, and it was getting to the point that I just wasn’t having a good time anymore. Disney used to have benches you could just sit and relax. Sadly, those are a distant memory now. I headed back to HM and took a spin with the 999 Happy Haunts and since I really wasn’t all that happy anymore, they rejected my application and sent me on my way.







The most ridiculous ride photo ever in which the rider tries to get a photo of her ghosts with a phone... as if ghosts can be photographed :



When I came out, I could hear thunder not too far away and knew my day was done. I still had a FiP for a flight over London, but that was an hour off still and I was fried. The day had been long, even with a pool break and a special surprise (coming up in a later update), but my body and demeanor were toast. I called it a day and headed to the buses. Tonight would bring me some average bus luck with a wait of 10 minutes and soon enough I was back at Kidani. If you know me at all, you’d quickly guess I had a warm bath to thaw out from the bus ride then settled into a chair on the balcony with my feet up watching the lightening before going to bed on the early side.

 

[Steppesister]

Welcome to the new Boards, All! Happy getting used to it... LOL!

 

[Jenny Sanders]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all your pics!!!!

 

[Steppesister]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all your pics!!!!

Thank you, Jenny. I got a few keepers this time around.

 

[disneyAndi14]

I’m having a hard time getting use to the boards! I am bumbling around, lol!

I love looking for the Pascals, I have found about 6, the one on the tree was new to me! I will search him out! This area is such a fun spot to hang out in.

We always get a picture of Andi by the wanted posters.

I love your pictures, I can tell you put some thought into them! The HM pictures are so cool, the ride photos have been a great source of laughter for me!!

 

[Steppesister]

I’m having a hard time getting use to the boards! I am bumbling around, lol!

You and me both, Sister! There are some functions that are clearly, as of yet, NON-functional.

I love looking for the Pascals, I have found about 6, the one on the tree was new to me! I will search him out! This area is such a fun spot to hang out in.

That one was the one that started it all. That lady was staring at it and even after she pointed it out I had a HARD time seeing it!

We always get a picture of Andi by the wanted posters.

I love the Ulf one and have used that "U" for my alphabet titles quite a bit.

I love your pictures, I can tell you put some thought into them! The HM pictures are so cool, the ride photos have been a great source of laughter for me!!

Thanks, Caroline. Some are more creative than others, but they provide endless entertainment for me these days in the park.

Clearly, I was more into fiddling with my phone/camera than the ride itself.

 

[Lesley Wake]

No line and YOU get to set up the shots.

So cute!

I did, and she told me all about the Hidden Pascal Game. Well!!! That was perfect!!! I LOVE the Disney scavenger hunts around the properties and this was a brilliant way to use up the 30 minutes I had until my FP for HM, so I spent the next while finding 7 of the supposed 10 Pascals around the Tangled Tinkle Area. For those of you who don’t know about this cute little game, there are “10” (rumor is there are 10, but most websites/blogs I’ve looked at since returning show 7 or so in photos- the same number I found) camouflaged Pascals in the landscaping, on trees, lightposts, flowerboxes, etc.. Some are majorly hard!

I finally found my first Pascals after you explained to find them in the forest on the other side of the pathway! I was always looking under the tower! Oh and I saw some of Pascals cousins hanging out there too!

 

[Steppesister]

So cute!

I finally found my first Pascals after you explained to find them in the forest on the other side of the pathway! I was always looking under the tower! Oh and I saw some of Pascals cousins hanging out there too!

I found some on BOTH sides. The tower USED to have one but I didn't see one this time. The creek has a few...

 

[Steppesister]

Y is for: YOU STOLE MY TABLE at Yak and Yeti!​

Dinner time!

I’m all for leaving the park I happen to be in if I'm wanting to try a new restaurant I haven't been to yet and I often do. Once upon a time there was a Golden Spoon Award and while that may be passe on the Boards now, I’m still on a mission. Because the World is a really big place and there are too many delicious things to not keep trying. But, with time as limited as it was on this trip with Mom, we needed to find a place nearby in the interest of saving time. Besides, Animal Kingdom has some decent offerings and they are getting better each year.

Tiffins was too spendy this time around for Mom, but I knew we’d all want a sit down meal with air conditioning. I came close and found conditioned air. See?




Hot, and bordering on cranky, I checked us in and we were either given a pager or they texted. I can’t remember. Then again, I can’t remember most things anymore. Well, that’s not true, I remember the most unimportant stupid stuff like my best friend in elementary school’s phone number but can't remember to pick up a prescription in time. I did tell them I’d prefer a table upstairs and was willing to wait up to extra 30 minutes for it. Funny how I’m completely willing to wait 30 minutes for a better table to feed my face, but will hardly ever wait 15 minutes for a few rides or attractions.

It was BUSY! The indoor foyer with conditioned air was packed out, so we found a place along the wall outside and parked Mom in her wheelchair and I squatted against the wall nearby. Kinda behind the yellow menu you see here:




No, I wasn’t taking a ChunkyDump (an EPIC Trip joke that I'll get to eventually), but I was taking a load off. Kari (@Malia78 ) decided to meet us for this meal and met us at some point before getting called for our table. I was so happy to make this a foursome!

After a bit, Jenn (@Chrystmasangel ) and I wandered off to a nearby gift shop to browse and kill time but finding nothing I couldn’t live without, we rejoined Mom. After 20 minutes or so, I checked the lobby and found a couple of places in the foyer with the conditioned air; I found it to have a much higher quality of behavior and self-realization than regular air conditioning. Pavlov would have been so proud. It wasn’t too much longer that we were told our table was ready and were given a choice of the stairs or the elevator. Mom doesn’t do well with stairs since her knees were done, so we opted for the elevator. Which meant we did get the quieter, in my opinion nicer, seating area of the upstairs area. #itwasstillloud

The stairs we didn't take:



There were 3 empty tables, 2 against the wall with windows and the nice view, and one against the wall opposite those. We were led to the one table without the window view. Of course. I was salty. I asked the hostess if we could have the table directly across the aisle from us, but was told no. For zero apparent reason at all. I think the others didn’t care, but the very first time I went to Y&Y I had a primo table right next to a window and had one of the loveliest, quietest, most peaceful meals of the trip. Granted it was at lunch and not nearly as busy, but… Anyway, the hostess wouldn’t budge. We were stuck with the table we got.

This. This... the table (my table) that would have guests at it quickly:



We took quite a bit of time looking at the menus if I recall and got our waters and Jenn an iced tea. Just about the time we got those, a party of 4 was seated at the table across from us. I’ll bet they wondered why I spent the meal glaring at them…. (okay, not a lot, just a little)

I’d looked at the menu long before and Mom and I thought we’d share the dim sum basket for 2. It was perfect. A really lovely presentation and the assortment is quite nice.

Dim Sum Basket for Two,Pork pot stickers, shrimp siu mai, cha su bao, and pork siu mai steamed on a banana leaf, soy lime dipping sauce$15.99



Jenn ordered the Ahi Nachos. When it arrived, I think all 4 of us had a paroxysm at the size of it. It was enormous and I thought for SURE we’d not even make a small dent in it!

Ahi Tuna Nachos for Twosushi grade ahi, Asian slaw, crispy fried wontons, wasabi aioli, sweet soy glaze$16.99



Kari wasn’t feeling well at all, and opted for a small order of pot stickers lightly seared which were pretty good.

Pork Pot Stickers - pan seared or steamed, soy lime dipping sauce $9.99



Side note: I haven’t told the story yet, but sadly, I lost ALL of my photos from this day and one other day. It’s a tragic tale of phone vs. water and I had decided not to take my good camera being too heavy to carry and push the wheelchair. So, the photos for this chapter are not my own. #shamelessinternetpilfering Perhaps, @Chrystmasangel or @Malia78 can chime in a add some photos from our time at Y&Y??

About the time we got our food, I turned around and noticed a lady and her 2 grown kids had stolen my other table and found a choice word in jest for them. I had literally just joked to the girls at my table, “XX stole my table!!!!” and I’m not even exaggerating, 2 seconds later, I realized …


IT WAS KELLY!!! @cinderkelly



I about died laughing. Jenn teased me mercilessly that I had JUST finished doing a bit of soft name calling and dissed a… DISser.



I immediately got up and went to her table, sat down and said, “Yo XX, you just stole my table!!!” I told her the whole story and we laughed and hugged and talked for 5 or so minutes. I wasn’t comfortable hanging around crashing their dinner as I know her kids aren’t super into DISMeets, so after taking a sip of her drink (she did offer, I'm not THAT rude), I went back to my own homies and we laughed over it some more. Seriously, it was probably the funniest moment of the trip after the whole Kelly’s Baobob Tree Safari.

Me giving Kelly the stink eye:



One thing Kelly told me while I was at her table was that she has a Landry card. She didn’t have an ADR but flashed her card and was taken to a table very quickly (and MY table no less!) and that perhaps the better tables (like mine) were saved for those guests. I did have the audacity to ask our server if that might be the case, but she denied as I thought she would. I’ll never know except that the facts stand.

Dinner was decent enough. As mentioned, I thought that there was NO way we’d even come close to making even a small dent in our food, but we finished almost all of it. At some point, I made a comment that I loved the raw/seared ahi in the nachos and Jenn chimed in saying, “I don’t think so, I don’t do raw fish! I wouldn’t have ordered it if I thought so!”. “Ummm, that’s what seared ahi is, Jenn! LOL!” It really was quite good with the wasabi sauce and the crispy wontons as a base.

Would I hurry back to Yuck and Yeti? Probably not as I've done it 3 times now and I have loads of other places on my radar. I know it's more expensive, but I think I'd head to Jiko again before I'd do Y&Y again. All in all, the 5 things that sum it up:

Loud
Average food
Long wait after ADR time
Reasonably priced
In the park