The Greenest State in the Land of the Free

Wingapo, friends, let us catch up.

Since it's officially summer now, although it's been summer in Orlando for months, this means lots of new things are happening at Disney World. On June 21st, Hollywood Studios got new Star Wars themed fireworks, entitled Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular, so a bunch of us wandered over to check them out (it's for product knowledge). While we were waiting, obviously we had to go do Toy Story Midway Mania. The fireworks really were spectacular. So much more than just fireworks. Oh we went to Magic Kingdom after, since Studios closed at 10 and that wasn't enough park for us. 

When a cast member saves you from yet another selfie.

 Another brand new thing to Disney World is the Frozen Ever After attraction in the Norway pavilion in Epcot. It replaced the Maelstrom boat ride, rest in peace. It also opened the 21st, and I through the wonders of technology snagged FastPasses for the 23rd. I brought Frozen fan Katrina and fellow merchie Eric, who was so new when FastPasses became available, he didn't even have his maingate yet. We were running early for the first time in forever (see what I did there) so we snuck in the Royal Summerhaus, also new, to meet Elsa and Anna before checking out their new boat ride. I suppose this would be an ideal time to reveal that World Showcase cast had been pulled from their work locations all week to help test the new ride. I was definitely one of the lucky ones who not only got to test the actual boat ride (instead of just the queue) but got to do several rounds before heading back to Canada.

Princess Anna and Princess Anna love
a queue with a couch. 

Official Summer Snow Day!

Animatronic sisters unlike any others. 

 Eric and I left Katrina in Norway so she could attempt to ride again, while we scampered off to Captain's Grille at the Yacht Club resort for lunch with Sarah. It was 40% off so we thought it was necessary. Also we felt very fancy. We slowly wandered back to Epcot with very full bellies, and decided ice cream from France was in order, and then we ran into a princess on our way back to Canada.

Sometimes us and Rapunzel have the best day
ever at International Gateway.

 Our purpose in hanging out at work while not actually working was the finally check out the new entertainment in Canada. They're an acrobat troup from Montreal called Les Parfaits Inconnus. We may have judged them a bit fast, since they start their act with paper bags over their heads while playing instruments and yeah that sounds totally weird. But we stayed for the whole performance this time, so we would know for our Guests what to expect. We could not have been more wrong. These guys are phenomenally athletic and talented and good-looking. We ended up returning for a second show, as we spoke with them after the first and they told us there's a different featured soloist each show.

This guy flipped backwards off an unsupported ladder.
The other guy just caught the ladder as it was pushed away.  

An All Canadian selfie! Basically I'm a fan for life.

Same day, post-laundry, almost every single merchie gathered on the Boardwalk to try another recent new thing, the Ample Hills Creamery (aka very fancy ice cream). Obviously we had to take shifts going inside and guarding our table, so I don't have a selfie with everyone. A proper group photo exists and I'll acquire it. With more ice cream. Because no regrets about that.

Me, Louise, Kara and Shane taking on Ample Hills
and their complicated flow charts.

On June 28th, we were summoned to the pavilion extra early before work (ok, so at 1030) so we could take a special early group shot of Canada, with a Walt Disney World Ambassador, to be used to promote Canada Day. While we were waiting for said ambassador in the store/air conditioning, we had a very special pavilion-wide goodbye for Micayla, who's extension and program had come to an end. Most of us, including Micayla, had to work that day, but Rachel and I didn't work til much later, so what were we to do but entertain ourselves at work for the morning. We went to the Land, rode the new Soarin' Around the World, and had early lunch at Garden Grill with Chip, Dale, Pluto and farmer Mickey. Dale was totally in his element and his antics were worth the price of Garden Grill. We were uncomfortably full of food and fun for the rest of the day. Oh I'm pretty sure the next time we ate was much much later at Steak n' Shake.

Dale and I are darling.
Remember we got engaged last time?

I think Pluto was distracting us while
secretly trying to steal turkey.

Dale notices that I've been all paparazzi on him...

...And has to check out our photos from the day. 

On June 30th, Laura and I had a chill yet very warm afternoon at Epcot, in which we attempted to complete a passport, but only got a third done, as we kept getting distracted around the World Showcase West area.
First there were acrobats again...

Can you do this in Florida in June? Can you?

 Then there was Laura's favourite princess hanging at IG again...

No one told us to pose like this. It just happened.

 And then the acrobats AGAIN...

His entire body weight in on his one arm. WHAT. 

 Until we decided to move on to greater things. Like dinner at Wilderness Lodge. We had a reservation at the very fancy Artist Point. Laura had a dining coupon left over from Christmas so we may have gone all out. We were very smart in wearing dresses so nothing would have to stretch. We chilled like none other in the lobby of Wilderness Lodge and darn near dozed off on the comfiest couches of life. We wanted to take a boat tour to Magic Kingdom but there was lightning, as there frequently is this time of year. So we took a bus instead. While on the bus, we decided the actual best course of action would be to go to Trader Sam's, the Jungle Cruise themed bar located in the Polynesian Resort. Who would have thought that there would be a bar that was so up my alley. It's delightfully themed to my favourite attraction of all time, it's small and cozy, and the drinks come with both the option of purchasing a clean, dry, signature cup and some magical moments. Enough said. It was amazing and I shall return.

Here's the part where I confess that I'm the bad Canadian who did not visit her pavilion on Canada Day. My bad. Justification - Amanda and her friend Merran were due in from British Columbia that day. I brought them to Target upon there arrival for snacks, healthy foods, and general fun American shopping. After they napped and unpacked, it was absolutely bucketing down rain but we went to Magic Kingdom anyway because, guess what, it buckets down rain every day now. The parks belong to those with ponchos and high spirits.

We don't need you, Photopass.
What you cannot see is my LOVE CANADA tee. 

On the 2nd, Merran and Amanda had an early start to their day, as vacationers do, at Epcot, so I met them in the early afternoon at Hollywood Studios. As is my habit, we got in a quick visit with out favourite snowman...

We are all meting because it's so hot!

Before heading to the Frozen Sing Along. Good times were had by all.

I don't even know how many times I've done this show. 

We left for the resort as the ominous storm clouds were rolling over Studios, and boarded the bus to Art of Animation (for lunch) as the daily rain hit. We were prepared, don't you worry. After lunching, snacking and resting (back at Pop Century where the girls are actually staying), we returned to Magic Kingdom for more magic and less rain.

Our girl Ariel in her grotto.
See my appropriate necklace?

 On the 3rd, Kara and I grabbed ERs from work and left for Art of Animation. I was using the pool while the others had paid for a room. It was so so hot but that pool is gorgeous. I braided four princesses' worth of hair before we went to Magic Kingdom. The 4th of July fireworks are also performed on the 3rd. I guess it's so Guests can see both MK's and Epcot's fireworks. It was very busy but we were very early so we were very comfortable waiting on Hub grass for the salute to all nations (but mostly America) to begin.

Even the castle is Star Spangled. 

We had to stay still for awhile after, since there was a mass exodus of the park, but we were able to snag a FastPass for Haunted Mansion. There was some screaming. It most definitely was not me.

If a ghost followed us home, he didn't show
up for the picture.

On the actual 4th of July, I worked but not all evening. I met Merran and Amanda for dinner at the Electric Umbrella before we found a very uncrowded spot in Canada for the special Independence Day edition of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. The fireworks and noise were an epic of epic epicness, plus there was a bonus of watching a fireworks tech control the show from on top of Canada the whole time. Not that anything was on fire... cuz it wasn't.

On the fifth, I met Amanda and Merran at Animal Kingdom in the evening. As part of the new summer offerings (called "Summer Awakens"... good job with that, Disney), Animal Kingdom stays open later into the night with its new fun things to do: A nighttime Kilimanjaro Safari, which is magical on its own and totally doesn't need to fake sunset or hippo noises, thank you very much, as well as the Tree of Life Awakens, which is a projection show on the Tree of Life and is actually amazing, and Jungle Book: Alive with Magic, DAK's nighttime spectacular along the lines of Fantasmic. There's few fireworks, but it really is gorgeous and beautiful and so catchy, due to Jungle Book songs. I'm sure Rivers of Light, the originally conceived but for now delayed nighttime spectacular, will eventually come to be.

I am both shiny and excited for a nighttime Safari. 

Unless you want to hear about my grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, then I do believe we're all caught up.

See you real soon!

Lindsey

Magical Moment: I got a selfie with the WDW Ambassador. He liked and commented on the picture on Instagram. IT WAS MAGICAL TO ME. Also I want to be an ambassador.

Pixie Dust to: This one Epcot Cast Services Cast Member. She was handing out Mickey ice cream sandwiches on Independence Day, and when she saw my costume, she wished me a happy belated Canada Day. Thanks for knowing and caring! And also for the ice cream.

Probably Getting Gorgeously Tanned in Summer

Hello friends!

I have a week's worth of adventure days to catch you up on.

My lovely friend Lesley (whom you may remember from the 29-time-on-Star-Tours day) was visiting this week. I knew she was coming and that she was coming to see me at Epcot after she arrived, but she still managed to surprise me while I was at the bar. Therefore, pictures were necessary. In retrospect, I regret not getting any of the two of us while I was in costume, but she's coming back in October so more fun will be had then.

Happy to be photographed, so-so about serving alcohol. 

We stayed at Pop Century resort and made a hard commitment to sleep in as frequently as possible. We made it to Hollywood Studios on our first day in time for our Rockn Roller Coaster FastPass at 12:15. It was also May the 4th, aka Star Wars Day ("May the 4th Be With You"... get it?), so Hollywood Studios was the place to be. It was also drizzly all morning so the park was not as full as we were anticipating. We were able to ride Star Tours with a minimal wait, we experienced Muppet Vision 3D, and just before we attended the Frozen Sing Along, we were able to have a surprise meet and greet with Olaf! It was one of his very first days in the park and we were able to see him with, again, a minimal wait. Sticking it out during rainy days has its rewards, people. Also, looking super cool in a poncho is its own reward.

Ponchos are totally rock and/or roll. 

We only stuck around til 3, because we felt a nap was necessary. When we returned, it was to Magic Kingdom, as we felt we needed to conquer it. We arrived when it was just bucketing down rain, meaning we made straight for Emporium to purchase and mail some postcards (to wait out the rain), and find my former coordinator and now leader at Emporium, Dave. We were at Magic Kingdom from 7pm until 1am, the end of Extra Magic Hours, in which we did actually all the attractions one needs when attending Magic Kingdom on vacation - Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mickey's Philharmagic, Voyage of the Little Mermaid and Mad Tea Party (we don't spin in the tea cups, we just sit in them). There was probably more. We felt very accomplished. And very hungry. So we made an emergency trip to McDonald's near the All Star Resorts, since everything else was closed.

Lesley, Ariel and I taking a "shellfie".
See what I did there. 

We obviously slept in hard the next day, then finally rolled into Epcot in the early afternoon. We had a leisurely day of wandering around World Showcase in our matching Epcot 30th anniversary shirts, checking out the the new band in Canada (they're called "Alberta Bound"), eating an entire baguette in France (and telling people where they can purchase said baguette), getting our own private boat for the Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico, and generally having a wonderful day. We ended the day by going to Disney Springs for a late meal at House of Blues (despite all the eating, we were starving) and some shopping at World of Disney.

Cheers from the American Adventure!
See Spaceship Earth behind us?

Baymax selfies! 

Friday was our Universal Studios day. We had many adventures at Universal on my last program, so this park deserved its own day on our vacation. We were able to get there for 11, even though it closed at 6 (whyyyyyy though), we still got all the money's worth of fun. We started in the Universal Studios half with The Mummy, Transformers, ET Adventure, Men in Black and finally lunch in Springfield. We were evacuated off of Kang and Kodos Twirl & Hurl, although it never actually started so it was less of an adventure. But we were given an Express Pass (Universal's FastPasses) to use later in the park, so no big deal. Then we explored Diagon Alley and escaped from Gringott's Bank, before taking the Hogwarts Express to Islands of Adventure.

Clowning around with Krusty in Springfield

You have to pay for a picture with ET. Nope. 

We started with a quick single riders trip through Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, then moved along to Marvel Super Hero Island to use our Express Passes for Spiderman. Our passes were never taken from us, so we used them again in Seuss Landing to board the High in the Sky Seuss Troller Train Ride (that's the real name of the ride). We also did the Cat in the Hat ride before circling back through Hogsmeade to board the Flight of the Hippogriff before we had to leave. Universal Gradventure was that night, so there were tons of elementary school grads from across the country in their matching tees and it was terrifying.

Unmatched shirts today.
We're lucky no one got lost. 

Hogwarts Express, and somehow the Hulk coaster.
#badshow

Mandatory castle picture. You can kind of see the castle...

We went back to our hotel, dined, then changed into our newest matching shirts and went to Hollywood Studios at 9, which had extra magic hours until midnight. Basically we're park champions. We met Olaf again, watched the Star Wars fireworks, rode Star Tours again, braved a stampede for Great Movie Ride, rode Rockn Roller Coaster again and ended our day with a small wait for Toy Story Midway Mania, already showing signs of expansion (another track is happening soon-ish).

We match Olaf's carrot nose!

It was fantastic times, and my Fitbit steps were through the roof. Vacation is the best exercise there is.

See you real soon,

Lindsey

Magical Moment: Our new friend Hayden at Rock'n Roller Coaster totally played along during the preshow and personally asked Steven Tyler for backstage passes "for the girls in the orange shirts". Thanks bro! Also to that one American Adventure CM who IDed me and did a double take at my birth year. I don't care if you do that every day, it made me feel awesome.

Pixie Dust to: My mom! For making sure Lesley's Magical Express info got to her in Woodstock, although it was mysteriously sent to Perth.

EDIT: Lesley made a video of our brief but memorable vacay. You can see it here!