Sunday September 11th, 2016

Up at 10:00AM to be ready for NFL Pre-game Show followed by Packers Vrs Jaguars with Shelly, Nick, & Kirstie. Packers win and are 1-0 and in first place. Shelly, Kirstie, and I watch the movie Walt, Before Mickey on the HD120 at The DTC after the game. My third viewing, Kirsties second, and Shellys first. It covers all the events from childhood up to Walts creation of Mickey Mouse. Tedious for the average viewer but very interesting for the Disney fan. Movie ends around 6:00PM. Kirstie and Nick show us their routine they have planned for the wedding. It’s going to be pretty cool. Get cleaned up and back downstairs for Sunday Night Football with some Miller Lite and a couple of Slivovitch for the weekly Blues Sunday Night which has been going on for about two years. Defined, it’s blues music, sports, and cocktails along with live entertainment from Marley doing some sweet jumps multiple times from the bar to the pool table. Pretty much what I always do except for the blues. Go to bed at 11:18PM with dreams of WDW flooding my head.

Monday September 12, 2016

Up at 9:30AM. Finish packing and also pulling a last minute order for a customer that Nick will deliver later in the day. A surprise guest has talked his way into going on this years trip. Sydney will be traveling to WDW for the first time in 20 years. He’s very excited.  I’ll have to rig some sort of childs backpack to carry him around the parks as he doesn’t walk to well. Approaching 11:00AM now so I better pack up the computer and get ready to leave. Nick takes us to the airport around 11:20AM. Flight takes off almost right on the button 1:04PM, We arrive in Orlando at 4:40PM.On the way down to Magical Express I covertly text Brenda that we are here and on the way shortly to the hotel. There is literally no  one at Magical Express. A short 20 minute wait and we are on a bus for Disney All Star Movies. Roughly 35 minutes later we pull in to Movies. I have received a text from Disney with the message that our room 1228 is ready and we can bypass front desk and go right to the room. On the way to the room I text Brenda that we’re on the way up so she can make sure we don’t bump into each other and spoil the surprise. In the room I pretend to have to go to the bathroom so I can have some privacy to iron out the details of whats about to come via text. We agree to  claim Uber is on the way so we should get down to where the bus dropped us off. The driver is named Tbor, Brenda also sends me a picture who is actually her cousin.  Tbor” will be in a red car.

Shelly totally buys into it as we wait for Uber driver Tbor. The red car pulls up and we slowly make our way towards the car with Shelly still not having a clue. Right before we get to the car I see Brenda walking up behind us so I pause, and say to Shelly, maybe we should wait for her. She turns around and lets out a 2006 Christmas Adventure scream and the magic has happened yet once again. We all pile into the car and make our way to Walmart to buy booze and snacks. On the way Brenda and I tell of all the plans that didn’t get used before settling on the Uber plan. After getting all of our stuff we head back to our hotel with our capable driver Tbor (Dave), We pull into the parking lot. Get out, and unload the 2 cases of beer, bottle of Early Times, Wine, Rumchata, and snacks. We all grab something and head towards the hotel. I say to the gang, which building is it? That one or this one. Brenda exclaims, “None of them, We’re in the wrong hotel Dave, This is All Star Sports” We all bust into hysterical laughter as we have created the second memory of this trip without planning it. Needless to say Dave suffered an onslaught of great jokes about his navigation skills on the way to our real hotel 2 hotels down the road. And no, he hadn’t drank at all. But we would take care of that in a jiffy. At All Star Movies I suggest that instead of rushing over to  MK where there is only 3 hours of time left, that we instead stay here by the pool and eat and drink, and maybe catch a movie. Everyone agrees so its off to the pool bar with a cooler full of our own drinks. We get food at the food court and bring it to a table out by the bar. We are there a good 3 hours getting totally hammered. At least Dave and I anyway. We next walk down to where the movie is. It’s not by the pool like Pop Century. It’s in a real cozy cabana covered area just down from the food court. The movie is A Goofy Movie. We don’t stay because we would probably be to disruptive with our talking and laughter. Back to the pool bar for a couple more. Next we decide to go to a different area to torture some new people. We head over to the Mighty Ducks pool, but it is closed. We now wander around until we come across a area we can sit and drink at. It’s Herbies Finish LIne. We sit there for roughly another hour before heading back to the rooms. Tomorrow is the big birthday starting with 3 Fast Passes at Epcot. Disney Pixar Short Film Festival, The New Soarin Over The World, and Spaceship Earth. Then it’s off to the place Holly and Kirstie engrained in our head for a yearly visit or two. The Tequila Bar in Mexico. Then it’s off to Le Cellier in Canada Pavilion for birthday dinner. After Canada we’re off to MK for Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party from when we get there till 12 midnight.  After that, who knows. I will tomorrow when sitting here documenting what I didn’t know would happen. It’s 12:53AM, need a shower and maybe some more beer. Shelly is still up reading. Estimated bedtime 2:00AM

Tuesday September 13th, 2016

Up at 10:00AM. Shelly is already up reading. Quiet as a mouse last night. I don’t know why she doesn’t wear her sleep mask every night it would be so good for her on many levels. Out for Epcot at 10:30AM. Arrive at Epcot around 11:00am. The line for security and entrance longer than i’ve seen in 30 years. We go to The Land for lunch. I have the Sweet & Sour Chicken with rice and Shelly has the Asian Cashew Shrimp. After eating we leave The Land and go over to Imagination for Disney Pixar Short Film Festival. It’s very good. The first film is a new Mickey Mouse 3D film, followed by Pixar La Luna and  For The Birds. Exit Imagination at 12:44PM and go back to The Land for a Fast Pass on the new Soarin Over The World. It is stunning. Shot in high definition this makes the old one look like a home movie. Great locations from around the world like, The Great Pyramid at Giza, the Ice Fields in Greenland, Germany, The Taj Mahal, and many more. Basically the same sound track with a view tweeks. No orange smell anymore:(  But other smells such as The African Savanna. With the new concourse C the standby line has been significantly shortened. Next it’s off to The Tequila Bar in Mexico around 2:30PM. This goes off as I hoped. Shelly and I have two shots each of Patron Silver plus two Passion Fruit drinks. Brenda has one Passion Fruit and one shot of Patron. Dave has two Passion Fruits and one Patron. Brenda shortly morphs into a party animal. After much back and forth making jokes and miss pronouncing words I jokingly say for the next picture Brenda lay on the floor with a shot glass in her hand like she’s knocked out stone cold drunk. She starts going down towards the floor. I figure she is bending over to get something out of her bag, but quickly realize that she is down for the photo shoot. This is when I know the Patron is working. Not just for Brenda, but all of us are in that same laughing jag state of mind as we were last year. At one point Brenda is looking for something and Dave tells her it’s in the drawer in your bag. Again more laughter at yet another gaf as we’re all trying to talk. I can’t remember them all as they were coming so quickly from every angle. As it turns out two girls and one guy at our table (the same table we were at last time with Kirstie & Holly) were from Wisconsin too. Two from MIlwaukee and one from Green Bay. So we had that dynamic going. They were shooting pictures for us and vice vrs. Thank you Doctor Holly. Your prescription worked. Around 3:30PM we exit the bar and line up for El Tiempo ride. The ride shuts down while we’re in line so we jump the line to exit as our reservation at LeCellier is drawing close. Outside the heat hits you like a 2x4 in the face. Very hot and humid. We walk around World Showcase and enter Le Cellier. A very short wait and we are seated. All of us have the Fillet except Brenda who has the Rib Eye Steak. It is melt in your mouth good. Not a bit of waste.Nice atmosphere inside. Jazz music playing in the restrooms. We exit the restaurant at 5:15PM and head over to Spaceship Earth. No wait, but the pictures at the end of the ride don’t come out so that sucks. We leave SSE and start towards the exit to take the monorail for MK. Maybe 10 seconds after we start for the exit Brenda says “we’re heading the wrong way, we’re heading for World Showcase”. Duh, is the tequila still working. We just get under cover of the monorail entrance and the rain lets loose big time. It’s coming down sideways and hard. Don’t worry we say, whenever the birthday girl goes outside it stops. We get off the monorail at MK and the rain stops for our entrance at 6:25PM. Inside we go in to take pictures and video with Mickey. This time he talks like Shelly has been telling me. He does a card trick for her and sings her Happy Birthday. I get most of it on video. We leave Mickey and now the rain isn’t cooperating. It rains steady on and off for around two hours. We hide out at The Terrace Garden for a while before deciding to hit some indoor attractions just to stay out of the rain. We go to The Laugh Floor which is alright, but not really one of our favorites. On the way into The Laugh Floor from the rain Brenda says to me, “Larry , You Dropped Your Trick Or Treat Bag”  As I keep walking while turning my head back towards her I say “Fuck It” which gets Brenda laughing on the way in. Once inside and in line Dave hands me my trick or treat bag and says, “Hey, You Dropped This Outside”. Now Brenda and I are laughing again. Brenda tells me of my drop, I say fuck it, Dave doesn’t hear the two of us and picks up said bag to return it to me. More laughter. As it turns out I used the bag later for candy. After The Laugh Floor we exit back into the pouring rain. Still raining so we travel with our umbrellas to Haunted Mansion. After that we find out that the first Boo Too You Parade is first delayed and then cancelled. The first stage show is cancelled. I go to Pecos Bill and have s Southwest Burger with taco chips while everyone else sits and eats candy. The rain finally lets up so we set up for Celebrate The Magic. The crowd is not bad as I think some people bailed on their $75.00 extra party. That show comes off without a hitch. Next it’s Hallowishes, which is as spectacular as the fireworks we saw in 2003. New sound though and visual effects. Shortly we see a abbreviated Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular stage show because of the rain before. They have to clear the people for the parade. We move to Hall Of Presidents to see the second but only Boo Too You Parade. It is way better than the one in 2003. But with some changes that I for one would have liked to not see be made. After the parade we make our way to 5 trick or treat stops and fill our bags with more Mars miniatures. After that we see the full Hocus Pocus Villain Spellacular stage show. It is awesome. Start down Mainstreet with a little shopping on the way out before getting the first bus that arrives and are back at Movies at 1:30AM. 2:29AM now and Shelly is reading while I’m having a beer while doing this. The birthday I think was pretty cool.  Estimated bedtime for me 3:30AM.

Wednesday September 14th, 2016

Actually ended up in bed at 4:00AM. Meatballs was on AMC and I had to watch. Up at 1130AM and over to the bus at 12:22PM. Short ride to DHS and we’re quickly in. Oh wait, they pull Shelly out of line for a random walk through the metal detector and extensive search of her bag. I love it. This is responsible security. On entry we go for our first Fast Pass to Toy Story Mania. Shelly is creaming me on every screen. But when the dust settles I somehow have come out on top.  I tell her she let me win on purpose.141,300 to 134,500. Next we eat some health food at Rosies. 1/4# Cheeseburger with bacon lettuce and tomato with fries. After eating we go in Beauty & The Beast Stage Show. Great as usual but Gaston is a bit effeminate. Belle has a alright voice but does’t quite have the look. After B&TB we go to Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular as this is probably the last time before it is demolished for Star Wars Land. Lots of great memories from 89,90,91,92,93.&94 with Barb and Kirstie. Nick loved it too when he was a little dude from 95 thru 2001. Kirstie also had some great times there by herself one year watching the cheer competition. After Indy we go to Frozen Ever After Sing A Long for our 3rd fast pass. It’s very funny, hasn’t changed and still holds up. Especially for the little girls and boys in the audience. Dave and Brenda have joined us there after doing some eating around the World Showcase for Food & Wine Festival. We next walk over to Tower Of Terror where there is no wait. 10 minutes from the entrance we are on in standby. Then pretty much the same thing on Rockin Roller Coaster. Next we do standby for Toy Story Mania and again it is next to no wait. 20 minutes tops. While in line I for the hell of it check Sci Fi Diner for reservations as I did earlier in the day. Much to my surprise there is one 30 minutes from when we get on TSM 4:40PM.  Perfect. We do the ride and walk over for almost immediate seating. I have a Martian Marqarita and Reuben Sandwich with fries. Shelly has a Long Island Ice Tea and Spinach Artichoke Dip With Chips. Exit Sci Fi around 6:30PM and head over to Fantasmic. It’s a packed house as there is only one show. There is also a Star Wars Fireworks Show over The Chinese Theatre at the same time. Oh, I get it. They are trying to divert people away from Fantasmic to this new show to cut back on the heavy expense of Fantasmic. Just guessing, but I don’t care. Aa long as I get my Fantasmic. Well, a little bit into the show during a quiet sequence there is this annoying booming and fucking banging behind us. The whole god damn sky is lighting up to the point where what should be a dark island on the Fantasmic set is now getting washed in orange, red, and other colors from the fucking Star Wars shit. I am livid. I can’t stop complaining about from then till the end of the show and all the way home from the park. Who is the dumb ass that decided to have that booming piece of shit interrupt Fantasmic. Why not have Star Wars the second Fantasmic Ends, or vice/vrs. This is one of the most stupid things Disney has done in a while. I was actually thinking about giving up one of my Fantasmic viewings to see Star Wars as Dave and Brenda highly recommended it. But now, I feel like no fucking way do I want see this or for that matter Fantasmic. Add to that the usual idiots who start walking up the aisle with 2 minutes left in the show so they can be the first one to take a shit at the exit or be the first one in line at the bus. Anyway, back at the room at 9:30AM having some snacks, beer, and writing my rant. DAK tomorrow. Don’t know how long I’ll be up tonight, but it is really early. Oh yeah, and on the way out I say to Dave, hey with us getting back so early and it being like 105 fucking degrees out, we good take a swim. He reminds me that the pools close now at 10:00PM. Well, duh, why didn’t I figure that out. Why have the pools open when the guests get back on a hot day. Disney ... The Place Where Dreams Come True:)

Thursday September 15th, 2016

Bedtime last night ended up being 2:00AM. Up around 11:00AM and at the bus stop 11:50AM.  On the bus for DAK at 12:12PM. Head right over to Finding Nemo The Musical 12:40 Fast Pass for 1:00PM show. The cast is very good especially Nemo. A bubbly blue eyed tiny girl who really put everything she had in to it. After Nemo its over to Flametree Broiler for lunch. I way over do it with a Turkey Sandwich, Fries, and Onion Rings. Shelly has some Apple Pecan Chicken Salad. After eating we walk on It’s Tough To Be A Bug. No waits as usual but hotter than hell. After Bug we head over to Kilamanjaro Safari where Dave and Brenda are meeting us. They have been eating at Epcot again in the morning. Dave Brenda and I next go on Expedition Everest for a ride. Shelly waits at the exit. We exit DAK for the hotel where Dave, Brenda, and Shelly hang by the pool while I have 3 ice cold beers in the room while watching tv. At 7:00PM I leave for DHS where I back door into Epcot via the boat. I grab a beer at America and watch some of Wang Chung at The American Gardens Theatre. When the show is done I setup for Illuminations near Italy. The show is flawless. After the fireworks I round World Showcase and look around in Mouse Gear. I find nothing worth buying. In line at the bus stop I meet a man and his wife who were originally from Oshkosh but now reside in D.C. I don’t know how they knew I was from Wisconsin but they did. We chat for about 25 minutes waiting for the bus. On the bus I give up my seat to a hot mexican chick who is holding her little Pancho. Back at the hotel I go to the gift shop and pick up LRS new mooey macho coat. It’s so cool. I wish they had adult sizes. I still want to have Schoenecker embroidered on the front pocket panel so his underlings know who’s the boss. At the food court I have the Lazagna with garlic bread and salad. A fellow traveler walks by as I’m eating it and he says “Say, That Looks Good” I reply (.. ..)  Ask Kirstie what the two two letter words are:) Back in the room now at 11:17PM having some beer, watching the tube, and writing this. The rest of our motley crue are at Disney Springs. Don’t know when they’ll return. Estimated Bedtime 2:00AM

Friday September 16th, 2016

Sleep in and don’t leave hotel till 2:17PM for Epcot Center. Going to do anything that is cool and not outside in this heat. Enter the park at 2:40PM and am chosen for the metal detector. After putting back on all my gear again I go on Spaceship Earth. The picture taking part of the ride still isn’t working. Pff, bummer. After SSE I go to The Electric Umbrella and have a Italian Sub with Fries, Apple Slices, & a Diet Coke. I sit on the second level for the good view of all the people. After eating I go on Ellens Energy Adventure followed by The Epcot Food & Wine Festival Center at the old Met Life Pavillion. Inside I look around and watch the movie Seasons Of The Vine. A movie about the history of grapes from beginning to when they turn into wine. It’s in the old theatre where The Making Of Me used to be. When I exit it’s raining a little but I only have to go next door for my only fast pass on Mission Space. I ride with a father and his two young sons who are on for their first time. After Mission Space I go to The Craft Beer Pavilion. I get the Craft Beer Flight #1. Beer one is from Orlando Brewing. It is called Orlando Weiss Beer. Blah, boring. The second beer is from Canaveral Florida Beer Company. It is called Passport 20 Belgian-Syle Triple Ale. It’s a little to IPA Scott Peplinski like for me. The last is from Plant City Florida. It is called Henrys Blueberry Vanilla American Wheat Ale. It is very good. After my beer tasting I go to the Tequila Bar in Mexico again. I join a group of 3 couples at their table for a shot of Patron Silver and a Wild Passion Fruit. They are very friendly and we are yapping about this and that in no time. After my drinks I go on River El Tiempo ride in Mexico. Next it’s off to China for 2 Egg Rolls followed by the movie China 360. So far my plan is working. I haven’t been in the heat long enough to sweat at all. Making my way around World Showcase I get my first food and wine meal. I stop at Africa for Barbere-Style Beef Tenderloin Tips. Delicious. A little further down the road it’s German Roast Bratwurst. Delicious. Next over to Poland for Golabki Pork Stuffed Cabbage. Delicious. I’ve been outside a bit now and am starting to feel the heat. I go to The Chase Lounge above America and have some free ice cold soft drinks, jazz music, and air conditioning while relaxing in a comfortable chair. After about 20 minutes I exit, get a beer and catch the last set of Starship featuring Mickey Thomas. They are spot on. When the set is over I head towards the UK where I get some Fish & Chips and a Bass Ale. Find a table next to World Showcase and eat. When I finish I move to the front of World Showcase with a table and a seat. Soon a woman approaches and says I’m going to sit here. I say, sure, you found the best seat in the house. Not long after talking with her she says her husband died last thursday. After saying sorry to here that she goes into detail about what happened, when it happened and that she was the one who found him. An arterial aneurysm. Her daughter and boyfriend have brought her here to try to cope. The daughter and boyfriend show up shortly and now they’re in the conversation too. It’s a good 20 minutes before they leave for their next eating stop. Illuminations starts at 10:00PM and this view is very good. With a table too. When the fireworks ends I go to Mouse Gear to look for a sweatshirt that Kirstie wants. No luck. Leave the park and am at the bus at 10:41. Immediate boarding with no wait. Back at the hotel at 11:00PM. It’s 11:39PM now which is again very early. Estimated bedtime probably 2:00AM or later. Gonna be hot again tomorrow. I think I’ll hit Epcot again as I have 12:10PM Fast Pass for Frozen Ever After Ride at Norway.

Saturday September 17th, 2016

Up around 12:00 Noon. Bring the laundry down to The Mighty Ducks Pool laundry and get two loads started. Go over to the food court and have something to eat. After eating I go back to the laundry and put everything in the dryer for an hour. Back to the air conditioned room to hang out and watch tv. After an hour go pickup the laundry, fold it, and put it away. Watch a few episodes of SVU before heading out at 5:30PM for the bus to DHS. Somewhere one of my pins broke off my lanyard and at first a thought it was one that is irreplaceable. The Disney MGM Studios Pin. I check my lanyard more closely and realize that it was in fact my Mickey holding a American Flag with Walt Disney World written under it. That should still be available to replace, or so I think. Nope, hasn’t been around in along time they tell me. I did buy it in the 90s. I cool off in The Commissary with a Chicken Sandwich and Fries and a diet coke. Around 6:30PM I make my way to Fantasmic for the 8:00PM show. Grab a Bud Light and sit in Pocahontas Section Row U. As it was last time, sure enough, right when the segment of Fantasmic that the music dies down and the witch is standing in front of the caldron recanting her spell there is a sudden boom boom boom followed by the once dark Fantasmic stage to be awash in orange color. A large part of the audience turns to see what the fuck is going on. Such a deal, two shows for the price of one. Walt would not have allowed a stupid move like this. This isn’t plus it, this is minus it. When Fantasmic is over I’m on the way over to the boat dock for Epcot at 8:35PM. Boat arrives at 8:45PM and arrives at Epcot at 9:18PM. I figure where is the most likely place to get the missing Mickey pin? America you would think. But no, they don’t have anything even close to the vintage pin from the 90s. Start back to the front of World Showcase to watch Illuminations but change my mind. The cast member on the boat said there are over 55,000 people in Epcot today. That’s a lot of people and it shows. You can hardly move around the promenade. The weekends for Food & Wine Festival are the worst crowds. I change my mind and instead go to Innoventions East to pick up a free passholder glass. The deal is if you enter epcot a minimum three times during the show you can receive a Mickey Food & Wine Festival Etched glass. I got mine as this is my fourth visit to Epcot this trip. Head for the bus at 10:15PM and there is one ready with hardly no one on it. Back at the hotel around 10:30PM for an exiting evening of tv and alcohol. Shelly gets back around 1:00AM and passes out right away. I am up till 3:15AM.

Sunday September 18th, 2016

Up at 12:00 Noon. Turn on the tv and watch the Fox NFL Pre-game. After that we both go to the food court for lunch. I have the Lazagna with garlic bread and salad again while Shelly has a some kind of burger with fries. Back at the room around 2:00PM. Shelly is going by the pool to swim while Mr. Excitement is staying in the room. Nothing for me today until Packers at 8:30PM tonight. Thought about watching at the pool bar but seating is limited and beers are $7.00 as opposed to .75 cents in my room, and I have a lot of beers left to kill including some Dave left. After a afternoon of SVU Shelly goes to DHS to see Fantasmic while I go to food court and have a Barbecue Chicken Sandwich with fries. Back at the room around 7:00PM for Packers pre-game show.Tomorrow is the first day of Air Supply so I’ll have to go to the park then and the day after to put up with the heat as my backup crew left this morning. Oh well, live and learn, this is my first time down here this time of year.  Dummy Larry, don’t go to Disney World in May June July August or September no matter what. It has the potential to be more of a endurance test than an enjoyable trip. The temperature every day has been 89-91 with a heat humidity index of a 100 plus. Well, I have an important tv show to watch. Just call me Steve:) Game ends around midnight and Packers lose. I stay up till 2:00AM.

Monday September 19th, 2016

Up at 11:00AM and over to the bus stop for Epcot at 12:00 Noon. Bus arrives 12:04PM and we arrive at Epcot at 12:18PM. After entry Shelly goes to the pin station to get a exclusive Passholder Food & Wine Festival pin. We arrive at Norway a little early so we find some shade next to the lagoon and wait till our fast pass time. Enter Frozen attraction at 1:10PM and are shortly on the ride. It is very good. The music is what makes it for me. Over the week I have seen the stand by line as much as 1 1/2 hours. I wouldn’t wait for more than a half hour for this. It’s good, but not that good. Get a fast pass. Shelly stops at China and gets some kind of spicy noodle dish and a drink. She doesn’t seem to  know what to do next so I declare I’m going into China for the movie but mainly to cool off as it is yet again very hot. After the movie I stop at South Korea for South Korean Barbecue Beef & rice. Next I stop at Italy for Frozen Lemon Margarita . Find some shade and slowly eat it so I don’t get brain or throat freeze. After the margarita I find some more shade near where a juggler is performing at Italy. Watch his show before going to America for Voices Of Liberty. Inside America I run into Shelly. We watch The American Adventure and exit. It’s two hours till the first 5:30PM Air Supply concert. Show two and three requires you to wait in line for seating but show one you can sit and wait. Shelly wants to sit for almost two hours in order to be near the front. I figure tomorrow we will be in the front with our preferred seating dining reservation. She sits for two hours in this heat for the show. I move along to Japan where I have the Garlic Shrimp and rice. Next it’s Belgium for Belgium Beer-Braised Beef. t Delicious. I’m starting to sweat again  so I duck into the movie Impressions De France where it’s air conditioned. After the movie I watch a pair of guys do an act outside that is very similar to Cirque La Nuba at Disney Springs. The act where they keep adding chairs higher while the performer balances on top. It’s very good. After France I go to The UK to see if there is anything interesting that is Scotch. There isn’t. I next go to the movie Oh Canada featuring Martin Short. Again it’s nice and cool inside and the movie is alright. When I exit I notice that the sky is looking rather ominous. I make my way for the exit but first grab a Gyro at Greece. It’s getting darker. I arrive at the bus at 5:49PM and it departs at 5:52PM. As soon as I reach the hotel the weather lets loose. Lots of thunder and lightning and rain. I’ve made it back just in time. Shelly sees the first set complete before the weather turns at Epcot. She stays hoping it will pass, but it doesn’t. She says Illuminations was delayed till 9:30PM instead of 9:00PM.I have some whisky and coke drinks while watching tv. I suddenly get the urge for a cigar. I go to the gift shop and buy one and go to the smoking area. It’s raining but I have my umbrella. While there I overhear a girl and two guys talking about Hillary Clinton. I can’t resist, I approach them with my take on what they are talking about and end up talking with them for about 30 minutes in the rain. The two guys, one is the girls father and is 54 years old. He could pass for 20 years younger. The girl jokes that sometimes people think he’s her boyfriend. We talk about everything from politics to war and national security to raising kids. They are on the same page as me on just about everything until I ask the girl if she is married to the boyfriend to which she replies no, we’ve been dating for 9 years and have two kids. The fathers supposed strict upbringing maybe wasn’t that strict after all. She appears a little drunk from only two drinks and expresses herself with a lot of F bombs. I like that, but she doesn’t have any governor on when to drop them. There are families walking by at times and she doesn’t seem to have any problem expressing herself in front of kids. All in all though I enjoy the conversation with them. Back up to the room when they go to theirs. I haven’t finished my cigar as I was talking so much so I get a refill and go back down to finish it. I’m down there for maybe 15 minutes until I’m done. Back to the room and eat the remainder of the pizza from last nights delivery. Shelly arrives from Epcot and goes to bed and I watch Fox News until around 2:00AM.

Tuesday September 20th, 2016

Up at 11:30AM. Going to hang out here until around 3:00PM before going to Epcot for our 4:10PM reservation at German Biergarten Air Supply Dining package. Our dining gives us preferred seating for the second 6:45PM Air Supply show. Let’s hope it doesn’t get rained out again. At and on the bus 2:41PM. Enter Epcot 3:01PM. Next to no wait for SSE so we go on. After we go to Innoventions East to pick up Shellys Passholder Glass. Next we take the boat across the World Showcase to go to Germany. We are seated at 4:08PM with one other couple right next to the dance floor. When we’re done eating Shelly takes care of the check but as we’re exiting I ask if she got our passes for priority seating for Air Supply. She doesn’t know what I mean. I try to explain to no avail so she goes back in and asks the waitress. The waitress plays dumb and says our reservation wasn’t for the dinning and concert. Once I walk up she does a 180 and says she is sorry, she should have noticed it was a food and wine booking. Shelly leaves to see the first show which is just starting and I stay behind to straighten out our priority seating. The waitress has to redo the bill which she does and gives me our stickers for priority seating. I walk over to the American Gardens Theatre where Air Supply is only on their second song. I get in line for the second show priority seating and am number 1. The first show ends and I text Shelly where to go. The theatre gets cleared out and before taking the priority seating people the cast is letting people in from what appears to be the standby line. As we angrily watch the front row seats start to get filled in a cast member finally comes over and lets us in. We still get the front row stage left. What happened is last night had two shows cancelled due to weather so Disney told those people their tickets would be good for show 2 or 3 the next night. Those were the people getting let in we weren’t expecting. Also if you went into The Chase Lounge that I visited earlier in the week they gave out 100 priority seating passes to the first that asked for them if they had a Chase Visa Card. After the show Shelly gets in a very long line for show 3 while I exit the park for the hotel. Back here around 8:15PM cleaning up and packing. I got a wedding to go to:) Hopefully get to bed early tonight as we have to be out of the room and get our luggage checked in by 11:00AM. 5 more hours of fun:) before Magical Express picks us up at 4:45PM tommorrow.

Wednesday September 21st, 2016

Up at 10:00AM, packed up and out of the room at 11:00AM. Take the bus to Disney Springs and first go to The World Of Disney where I buy a Belle princess dress and Tiara for my future granddaughter. Next it’s over to The Earl Of Sandwich for Hawaiian Barbecue sandwich and barbecue chips. After eating I take a boat up the river to Port Orleans Riverside where I look around briefly and then take a bus to Magic Kingdom. Shelly heads off to parts unknown. After entering the park I go on Pirates Of The Caribbean. I think about doing Jungle Cruise but the wait is 45 minutes. I grab a frozen raspberry drink from where the old Dole PIneapple stand used to be. It’s still hotter than hell. Slowly sip that while waiting for Festival Of Fantasy to begin. I sit above the entrance at the railroad station. After the parade I head back to the hotel for Magical Express pickup. Back at around 4:10PM for a 4:40PM pickup. Shelly arrives back shortly and soon the bus is there and we are on the way for  McCoy. At the airport we are told we have been pre-selected to skip security, so we move to another express line. The lady there has one issue. My computer case has something they think is sharp. I tell here I have two big sets of keys in there, and then it dawns on me I also have a small knife on the key ring. I tell her that and we find it. The blade is about 2 1/2 inches long. I tell her to just toss it in the garbage as it is nothing expensive. She says she’ll check with her supervisor. She comes back and says it’s fine and I can keep it on the ring. I don’t like this. Isn’t this the same type of thing that 9/11 hijackers used. Why go backwards with security. We eat at the new McDonalds on the concourse after taking the shuttle there. I have a Big Mac Meal and Shelly has a Quarter Pounder meal. Finish off the trip with some more bad for you food. The flight leaves right on time and we are at Mitchell at 9:40PM as scheduled. Kirstie arrives within 15 minutes of texting her and we’re on the way home. She stays and talks as she has to go back to the airport again that night to pick up Holly who is arriving at 11:30PM. I go downstairs and watch the Dodgers game, have some beers and Slivo, and listen to music until around 1:30AM. Off to sleep around 2:00AM. Never go to Disney when it’s going to be in the 90s and very humid. If you do, don’t say I didn’t warn you. I know I never will again:)