Wednesday, January 14th
Day 3, Part 2 - More Character Time for Bethany
Today’s Plans:
Morning: Animal Kingdom-Africa(Done) & Asia, maybe more
Lunch: Flame Tree BBQ
Naptime at resort
Afternoon/Evening: Epcot-World Showcase, Eat our way around the world, Illuminations @ 9
What Really Happened:
We took the train back from Rafiki’s Planet Watch, and before long we were back in Africa. Then we left that to head for Asia. I should have looked out for DeVine, but I was just thinking about finally getting to ride Expedition Everest. It opened just a couple of months after our last trip, so I was excited about riding it.
Grandma and Grandpa decided they didn’t want to ride, so they said they would stay with Bethany while the rest of us went on it. I think our Fast Passes were expired, but they took them with no problems. Very shortly we were aboard our train. We were seated towards the back. My dad wasn’t too sure about riding, but I told him he’d be fine. But what did I know; I hadn’t been on it before.
Only Shane and I knew that it went backwards, so I couldn’t wait to see what everybody else would do. Amanda made us keep our arms up again.
I thought the ride was awesome. At one point when we were going backwards, it really got my stomach and I was expecting this huge scary drop, so I let out a more intense scream than the level I was currently screaming at. Later, Amanda and Logan said they heard me and wondered who it was because as Logan said, “That part wasn’t that scary.”
The yeti scared me. When he comes on the screen and breaks the track that had me a little freaked out. All I was doing from that point on was waiting in suspense for the real yeti to pop out at me. But I knew he didn’t pop out, so my crazy imagination was playing tricks on me. We pulled back into the station, and I had completely missed the yeti. So much for being scared. Shane didn’t understand how we had missed it.
We got off and checked out the ride photo, and we knew we had to buy it to remember that awesome experience.
While my arms are up in the photo, I did put them down for just a little bit after the picture was taken. I was glad I at least looked brave in the photo, well I guess my expression doesn’t really say brave. My dad said he was saying, “Nooooo.” Too funny.
Here’s a picture that my grandma took while they were waiting.
While we were at the counter purchasing our photo, Amanda noticed the CM next to ours had the Aurora eyes I wanted. So she waited until she was done with her customer and traded for me.
At this point I only needed two more eyes to have the set complete.
We met back up with Grandma and Grandpa and they said Bethany was just fine. I guess she saves the bad behavior for her parents.
Now it was time for lunch. We set off in search of the Flame Tree BBQ. It really was a search too. Even with the map, I had to ask a CM where it was. We finally found it and all decided what to order. My family is fans of BBQ so I knew this place would be a hit. Plus I kept hearing online how this was a lot of people’s favorite counter service at AK.
Shane wanted to beef sandwich and wanted to know if he could get fries instead of baked beans. He went off with Bethany to find a place to sit and I placed our order. He couldn’t substitute the fries, so I just got him the regular meal. I’m not too crazy about baked beans, plus I wasn’t that hungry. I knew that you could order any of the sandwiches a la carte, so I just got the pork sandwich. Imagine my surprise when I inspected my receipt later and found out I saved 1.80 by getting it without the baked beans. I’m sorry but that little cup of baked beans wasn’t worth 1.80, so that was a smart move. Once again I just got two cups of water. Bethany had the hot dog kids meal. Our meal total was 19.04. Our rewards card was now down to 190.61.
Sadly, the BBQ pump was really low, so I didn’t have quite as much as I would have liked, but the sandwich was still good. I think everyone liked their food, but we all comments how we liked BBQ that’s slathered in sauce, not a dry rub.
Logan was kind of freaked out by the birds when we were eating. They didn’t really bother me, because we weren’t feeding them. When we were getting up, they were so under foot that Logan accidentally kicked one. That freaked her out even more, so we didn’t hang around too long after that.
I really wanted to do the character trails today. Since Bethany had requested to see Mickey, Minnie, and Daisy, I knew we would be able to do it there. After her behavior yesterday after we ate I had said that I just wanted to head straight back after lunch because it was pretty obvious she needed her nap. However there wasn’t really any chance to get to that area any time yet today so we headed that way. I was just hoping that the excitement of the characters would prevent a meltdown.
The first stop was Daisy Duck. This was a must do because I think she is Bethany’s favorite character from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. It’s kind of hard to tell but she always asks about Daisy, and poor Daisy isn’t included in too many of the toy sets or pictures. At first, I didn’t understand why she would like Daisy, she’s always come off as so bossy. But one day it hit me. If I were a character on MMC, I’d be Daisy. And now I see that she’s not bossy, she just has all the ideas. She’s really a capable woman.
We waited just a short time, and then it was Bethany’s turn. She took off for Daisy and handed her the autograph book and pen. 
However, Daisy set those down because she wanted a hug from Bethany. Bethany gladly gave her one. I told Daisy how she’s Bethany’s favorite and how we’re so similar. She agreed that she’s the take-charge kind of woman. Logan got her autograph. 
After that we realized Bethany had a dirty diaper. I didn’t know where the nearest restroom was, and didn’t feel like walking too far. I just wanted to get the characters done and go back for a nap. So we found a deserted bench, and just changed her right there. There wasn’t anybody else around, so I didn’t think it was a big deal.
With Bethany all clean, we went over to wait for Minnie. Bethany did great about waiting in line.
You could tell that as soon as she saw the character she would want to run over and see them. But we just told her it wasn’t her turn yet, and she would wait. Then when we told her it was her turn, she’d take off with the book and pen out in front of her. She did this for Minnie. 
Minnie grabbed the book and pen, but she quickly pulled Bethany in for a hug.
Then Bethany gave her a kiss. Logan and Bethany got autographs. I’m pretty sure Bethany mentioned something about Minnie wearing a hat. Then they took the posed picture. 
The final stop was Mickey, but before we could get there, we saw Terk. So I sent my dad to wait in the Mickey line for us. Bethany had no idea who Terk was, but she didn’t care she just wanted another autograph.
And Bethany was getting pretty good about smiling for the pictures.
We joined my dad in line, and started waiting for Mickey. This was, by far, the longest line of the characters. Logan and Bethany found something to do to pass the time.
Then Bethany noticed she didn’t have a pen.
Now she was ready to wait.
Every time we were waiting for a character, she knew she needed her pen and book. She wouldn’t rest until she had both of them.
As we were waiting my sister remarked that it was kind of ironic for them to playing the song, “Feed the Birds” through the PA system, when the signs all over the park ask you not to feed the animals. I kind of have to agree.
Bethany was kind of talking to herself in line, at one point, and I heard her say, “Mickey big like Mommy and Daddy.” So apparently she had listened to us the past couple of months. I think that really helped prepare her.
The family in front of us in line had two older girls like around 10 and a younger girl Bethany’s age. The little girl wanted nothing to do with the characters. She screamed the entire time. And Bethany just stood there and watched. I thought it might scare her, but it didn’t. My sister said that it really pays to train your kids before they come. And I said, “Yep, just watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse everyday.”
We had finally made it. The moment Bethany was waiting for. It was her turn. She ran over to Mickey and handed him the book first thing.
He wanted to give her a hug, though. And then she gave him a high five.
And I said, “Tell Mickey that we watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse everyday.” She got right up in his face and said, “CLUBHOUSE!” It was so cute, it was like she talking to some old person who was hard of hearing.She finally got her autograph.
And then she had to point out that Mickey was wearing a hat. 
Some more kisses and hugs were exchanged. 
I wanted to get a picture of everyone with Mickey, so we did that. 
As the CM was giving us back the camera, she told Shane to check the lens because the pictures were kind of blurry. Thank goodness! I’m so thankful that she noticed.
After our successful Mickey encounter we headed back to get a nap.
We got back to our room, and put Bethany down for a nap. Logan was pretty bummed that nobody wanted to go swimming yesterday in the rain, but today we had a few takers. Shane said he wanted to go for a dip in the hot tub, so I waited in the room while Bethany was sleeping, and he headed down there. Amanda, Logan and Grandpa were going to go too. It was a little chilly out today, but the hot tub would feel nice.
Shane came back and said that Amanda, Logan, and Grandpa were in the pool. That was pure foolishness. They weren’t getting me in there, but I headed over there to check it out. They were getting out when I got there and were ready to go to the hot tub. Amanda told me that Grandpa had found out that on the slide the bigger you were didn’t mean you would fall harder. Apparently, Grandpa got stuck going down the slide. Then some little kids came along, and they all bunched up and that popped him out. Oh how I wish I could have seen that. Too funny.
We went over and eased our way into the hot tub.
It felt really nice. We couldn’t stay in too long because we got hot, so we went back to the room to get ready for our evening at Epcot.Housekeeping hadn’t come yet today, so I had put the “Do Not Disturb” sign out. They came and put more towels in a bag on the door like yesterday.
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