Chapter 8: Last Day - Jan 15

Okay guys, I have a serious confession. When I am on vacation, every evening when I get back to the hotel I write notes to myself about the day so that I can write my trip report. I write down any funny thing that happened, our thoughts about things, what we did, what we ate and any mishaps. I do it every night or at the latest the next morning before I leave. But when I got back to the hotel on Jan 15th it was our last night, it was late, I needed to pack and I just wanted to spend a little time with Steevin enjoying the night on the balcony of our beloved hotel one last time. So I put it off, figuring I would remember as it would only take me a week or two to finish the rest of the trip report and the last day would still be fresh in my mind. Yeah... that didn't happen. LOL! So here we are 7 months after we got home and I'm struggling to remember what we did. Today is our final chapter and its going to be full of pictures and assumptions on my part.

Today was our last full day. We would be going home tomorrow. We weren't ready for our most perfect vacation to end so we knew we had to make today count. We got up bright and early. It was a gorgeous day with blue skies and plenty of sun. We had breakfast reservations (due to our leftover dining plan points) at Captain's Grille at the Yacht Club. It was a nice place. We realized we would have to go on a serious diet when we got home anyway (we both gained 5lbs on this trip!) so we might as well go out with a bang and we had the All You Care To Eat breakfast buffet. It was good. I remember there were tasty wafles. After we ate we took some photos around the beautiful lake that is surrounded by our hotel, the Yacht Club and the Beach Club resorts.

Beautiful start to the last day

Steev is ready to get the show on the road

We (of course) took a stroll to Epcot. We arrived before the World Showcase was open so we took some time before it was full of people to take some fun pictures.

Wheeeeee!

All alone in the UK

Strange animal found in the UK hedges

An even stranger one!

I assume the World Showcase opened shortly after that because our next pictures show that we went to Norway and Steevin bonded with a Viking and I (clearly wanting my diet to REALLY count when I got home) had one of my favorite Disney World treats ever... School Bread!

Eric Northman?

Me taking a picture of my School Bread

The picture I took of my School Bread

We headed to China after our treat and tried on hats. Steevin decided since he couldn't find a raccoon hat he liked he would get the adorable Panda hat he found in China. We then took a seat to take some silly pictures and soak up the ambiance of Epcot to try to hold us over until our next trip.

My big flower hat that I did not buy

Steevin's Panda Hat that he did buy

Bear Attack!

Panda Attack!!

"I'll make you pretty."

A-BEAR-ican Idol?! 

Hat Switch!

While walking around the World Showcase, Steevin spotted Snow White so he had to get his picture taken with her. Then we stopped in Italy and (I kid you not) got another snack to share. We had Snack Points to use too! We ate whatever tasty treat that was and took some more pictures. I think the theme of the day was Eat and Pics... which when you think about it isn't a bad way to spend a vacation at all.

Steev and Snow

Blowy Hair Beth

Lens Flare Steev

Soccer Ball Juggler

I recall that today was overrun with Cheerleaders. Annoying college ones who would stop right in the walk way and the male cheerleaders would flip the female ones up and perch them precariously on one hand while drinking booze and stopping traffic. We sat and watched them for a while in Paris half with annoyance and half hoping we got to see one of them fall. I was surprised Disney let it go on. It couldn't have been safe for them or other guests.

Also in Paris I had a Kir Royal (Kir liquor in champagne) and I ordered Steevin a Lemon Grey Goose Slush. It wasn't until I got all the way back to him that I realized they had given me Orange and not Lemon. Steev doesn't do orange. Ever. Ever. I felt bad so I got him another one, lemon this time and I clearly had to finish the orange one as well.

This is the right way to vacation!

Here, have some pictures from China. Did we go back? Were these from earlier when we tried on hats? I don't know. Never wait 7 months to write a trip report without notes!

Cute and "Normal"

Cute and Normal for us

Here, I seem to have a really long and in-depth conversation with Mulan while Steev stands awkwardly to the side.

Girl Talk

Hair Flip

"...and then I punched him."

Oh yeah... Steev's still here

Also... we went to Morocco. I'm sure we saw stuff and did stuff. Surprisingly, I don't think we had a snack here.

One of my favorite countries to visit in the World Showcase

We headed towards Future World and bought a few souvenirs. In our effort to always be on the lookout for Photopass people we saw two brand spankin new Cast Members earning their ears and getting trained on Photopass. Their trainer asked if we would like our picture taken and if we'd mind if they took it a little slow since they were training. OF COURSE! So we chatted with them a bit and their trainer showed them how to work the camera, how to angle us, how to get us to pose and then *boom* we were some Cast Members first photopass picture guests.

Not bad!

We got in "trouble" for this one since she was training. LOL!

Good job, new Cast Members!

 We took a ride on Spaceship Earth and then picked up our CD of Photopass pictures. This meant it was all drawing to a close. But Steevin had a surprise up his sleeve. He told me before we headed over to The Polynesian for O'hana he wanted to go back to the Magic Kingdom. Him. Steevin. To the Magic Kingdom. Of his own accord! We we did. I can't remember what we did. I'm sure it was wonderful. So have some random "Magical" photopass pictures instead since I don't know where they go.

Last ride on Spaceship Earth

Stich in a box

Hello, Tink!

Baby Simba

Tink! You're back!

After what I can only assume to be a magical afternoon in the Magic Kingdom we took a boat covered in bugs to The Polynesian. We were early for our reservations so we looked around at the decor and shops and then headed up to the bar where we had 3 drinks each and were sufficiently buzzed. While we were there a large group came in celebrating an engagement of their friends that had happened on their boat ride over. We learned that they were a group of Disneyland Cast Members and we had a few mutual friends. We toasted them and wished them well and then it was time to eat. Dinner was delicious. I wish we were less full from our pina coladas. LOL! We enjoyed the rest of our time there and I snuck two lei's from two case members who were playing ukuleles on our way out. We got back to the hotel and enjoyed the last little bit of our evening and then left the next morning (after getting muffins at our bakery one last time).

Hawaii in Florida

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Probably a tipsy Steevin. He looks tipsy.

Ukelele Guys

  This trip was amazing. Like, so amazing I am still glowing from it months later. Steevin is the best travel buddy I've ever had. Besides the fact that I just love him like crazy, we like the same things in a vacation and never let hiccups deter us from having a good time. I can't wait to go back again. I know we only came home 7 months ago but you know me... I always love to start planning early. Thank you for joining us on our trip. I hope you enjoyed reading about our adventures at least half as much as I enjoyed writing about them. Until next time...

See ya real soon!