BEL13VE in Magic: The TCD Gang Rings in 2013 at The Fort

[Fugarwe(MN John(Juanito)) 23]

Nice to know it only took 20 minutes.

I doubt the MK parking lot was closed at 10 am, so maybe the traffic was moving quicker for you.

I'm glad we didn't encounter this when we arrived on the 30th.

TCD

When we are going to arrive during high traffic times, I come in the back way past the new four seasons tower!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Not to beat the recommendation for The Wave to death, but that is the butter they use on the sweet potato pancakes! We just eat the pancakes like cookies b/c they are so good plain and then we just eat the butter with a fork.

Sweet Potato Pankcakes would not be on my list of things that I want to try, but based on your rave reviews, I am going to make a point to get to the Wave for breakfast sometime soon.

We got there the same day at 11:00 and the whole place was stopped like a parking lot. Then police on motorcycles started yelling at people and making it worse and they completely closed the right lane. Then we realized why. The Nebraska football team was coming through in a big group full of buses. So that's why we all had to sit there and get screamed at. MK was closed. Who wants to bet the football team still got in?

I'll bet the football team got in. Probably didn't have to wait in any lines either.

And you failed to mention these pancakes to me in person why? The recommendation does me no good now.

You need to plan another trip.

We went to the lodge twice this past trip for the waffles. But here is my tip for you get one chocolate waffle and 2 banana fosters waffles. Some how the chocolate makes the bananas foster taste sweeter.

That sound like a good idea. I will remember it for the next time.

When we are going to arrive during high traffic times, I come in the back way past the new four seasons tower!

Good idea. The only thing is, long rigs have a tough time making the right turn into the FW entrance from that direction.

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

There is a place in Nashville with awesome sweet potato pancakes, served with cinnamon butter. Delish! You should give sweet potato pancakes a try sometime.

[Heidi-meetsTCD@TSM 5]

I am all caught up! You guys certainly do have a lot of fun together! Loved reading about your bike ride to the Lodge. That is one of our favorite things to do. We are more a biking family than a golf cart family and have biked that path to the lodge 100's of times!

Be waiting to see where you go for NYE.

Heidi

[Fugarwe(MN John(Juanito)) 23]

Sweet Potato Pankcakes would not be on my list of things that I want to try, but based on your rave reviews, I am going to make a point to get to the Wave for breakfast sometime soon.

I'll bet the football team got in. Probably didn't have to wait in any lines either.

You need to plan another trip.

That sound like a good idea. I will remember it for the next time.

Good idea. The only thing is, long rigs have a tough time making the right turn into the FW entrance from that direction.

TCD

Heh. My RV is 32 feet with a 20 foot cargo trailer behind. I'm over 55 feet total length!

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Let's get to NYE!

Our original plan, made lone ago, was to visit the MK both on the 30th and 31st. The idea was we would figure out how things work on the 30th, so we would be better prepared to deal with the crowds on the 31st.

But, after experiencing the 30th, and seeing how crowded the park was on the 31st, we had second thougths.

We had heard from several CM's that Epcot was the place to be.

When I saw Devores on the 31st, he confirmed that CM's had been told to suggest Epcot to guests.

Naturally, that made me suspicious.

But, we were all curious to see the Epcot NYE fireworks, and we also figured the crowds wouldn't be as bad there.

So the new plan was that we would go to Epcot.

Our main purpose of going was to see the fireworks, so I figured that if we got there by 10, we would be good.

To be safe, we headed out from our site at 9. We caught a yellow bus right away, and we were at the Outpost bus stop by 9:15.

It was time to break out the 2013 glasses!:

Every bus but and Epcot bus came and went.

This was the first and only time this trip that we had to wait more than a few minutes for a bus. This wait was just over 20 minutes. But the bus came, and we went.

The wait times were bad, as we expected, at 9:51 pm Test Track was 180 minutes, Mission Space was 90 minutes, and the Maelstrom was 65 minutes:

We didn't care, we weren't here to ride rides.

Our Epcot guide map said they were passing our free hats and noisemakers between Ellen's Energy Adventure and Mission Space. I guess that means around the old Wonders of Life pavilion. So, we headed that way.

The map also said something about limited availablity, and when we got there, we found nothing. I guess we missed the free stuff.

Clearly, it was busy in the park, so we headed out to the World Showcase to try to find a place to watch the fireworks. I had envisioned a leisurely stroll around the lake with us carefully selecting the perfect spot.

It didn't work that way.

I was surpised to find, two hours before the fireworks, that people had already staked out every spot around the lake.

These next photos are from our walk of futility. They are blurry because it was dark and because the twins were yelling at me when I stopped to take a photo. They wanted to quickly walk around World Showcase to see if we could find a spot anywhere.

This shot shows the huge crowd of people who were in the area of the stage by the big fountain in the area where the walkway to World Showcase begins:

This is a look back at that same area after we passed it:

There were viewing areas marked off by masking tape all along the rails around the lagoon. This is a shot of the viewing area between Mexico and Norway. The taped areas were pretty big, but they were already full of people:

There was a big stage with a DJ set up in China. Also a lot of people:

This is a look at the crowd in Germany:

Our thought that the crowds might thin as we walked around the lagoon was clearly wrong.

When we got between Italy and America, we saw a spot along the rail that only had a few people in front of it. If we got behind those people, we would have a fairly decent view.

So we grabbed our spot.

Twin 1 went to get some ice cream, and made it back in about 20 minutes:

This is a look from our spot over toward Italy- wall to wall people:

I had managed to have a couple of beers before we headed over here, and was thinking another would be good.

I also thought a restroom break was in order.

So I headed over to the America restrooms.

This photo doesn't do a good job of showing it, but there must have been 100 ladies in line to use the restrooms. As always, the guys' line moved forward at a steady pace. The girls probably were in for at least a half hour wait. As far as I could see, there was no Fastpass line:

This is the beer line:

It wasn't as bad as it looked. A few minutes and 9 bucks later, I had a Sam Adams, and was ready to go back to our spot for the fireworks.

This is a look at the wall to wall people in front of America:

And this is the view in either direction from our spot:

When we arrived at this spot, we left a reasonable distance of personal space between us and the people who were in front of us. And, we left some space in between ourselves. There was plenty of room, no sense cramming in. Well, that was a dumb idea. Because there were swarms of guests not from this land who had no sense of personal space or manners. A lady came and squeezed herself and her kid right in front of Twin #1, and the gestured to a bunch of other people to come and join her. I could see that this was not a person to try to reason with, so we just shifted over a little. Then the same thing happened on my side. A lady came and wedged herself into the little space I had left between me and the guy next to me. A big group pushed in behind us, and I heard a loud argument from a lady who had to be from New Jersey telling the people to back the F off. She was kind of drunk, and was yelling at the dad of that group for ramming her with a stroller. He probably did ram her, but the lady made a fool out of herself yelling about it.

In other words, Happy New Year.

We held our ground as people packed in all around us.

It was not comfortable or pleasant.

Here's a look to the right, right before the fireworks began:

And to the left:

Saying we were packed in like sardines doesn't cover it.

We were packed worse than sardines.

The show was supposed to begin at 11:40 from what we heard. It didn't help matters that it started about 10 minutes late.

Bad show there Epcot.

FUEGO!:

I said FUEGO! because that's what all the nice people not from this land who had invaded our space screamed loudly in our ears.

Why are the people not from this land so loud?

We could all see the FUEGO. Why did they need to scream?

I guess they didn't realize that there is a narrator for this part of the show, and a story is being told.

After all, they are not from this land.

But, they love FUEGO!

The Illuminations part of the show ended at around midnight:

There was no countdown.

No Happy New Year!

Just more fireworks.

We could see the MK fireworks going off in the distance.

Then, after a few minutes, the countdown from 10 started.

Fail.

It was 12:05.

But, they did the countdown and the Happy New Year.

Then something cool happened.

The announced the name of each World Showcase country, lit up its building, and then shot off fireworks from that country.

This is America, right behind us:

That was cool.

So that was that.

Now what?

We had a plan.

Hollywood Studios was open to 3.

But there was clearly no way we would be able to walk out to the buses and catch one there anytime soon.

There is the boat.

But that would be packed.

So we walked.

We've never walked from Epcot to Hollywood Studios before.

Now we have.

We passed by the Boardwalk around 12:30. They apparently had a big party here, and it was still going strong:

We kept on walking, and eventually made it to Hollywood Studios.

That was a long walk!

Hollywood Studios wasn’t that crowded.

We headed toward TOT, and stopped for some more ice cream.

Then hopped in line.

And rode TOT for the first time in 2013. Check out the guests in the front row. LOL-I’ll bet no one ever did that before. We were trying to make a 2013 with our hands- you see how I am making a two? And Twin #1 is making a zero? I think Twin #2 is making a three. Fail. I guess she would have needed to take off one of her shoes to make the thirteen, though:

What next?

How about Toy Story?

That’s what the twins said.

But, I said, let’s save that for last.

I wanted to see the Osborne Lights for one last time.

So, we headed there.

There weren’t many folks out at 2 am:

The lack of bodies gave us a chance to see details that you can’t see when the place is packed.

Like these elves coming up from the subway:

There were only a few people in the area beneath the canopy:

These guests were lying down and looking up:

I wanted to do that too. But the twins wanted to head to Toy Story.

They always get their way, so off we went.

We were there at 2:13 am. That gave us time to ride a few times.

But we had a problem.

It was closed:

All of the Castmembers were standing outside in a line, and they weren’t letting anyone in.

They said that the ride was down, and it may or may not reopen.

It looked like it wasn’t going to open.

Those folks you see in the photo were lined up in case it reopened.

But the CM’s said it might not.

We decided it wasn’t worth standing there to wait and see.

So we left.

This is my last photo from the night, taken from the bus as we exited at the 1500 loop bus stop at 2:49 am:

Happy New Year!

We got right to bed.

TCD

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Wow, those crowds were insane!!! I'm glad we stayed where we were!! (Also, I think you've got some links issues.)

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Wow, those crowds were insane!!! I'm glad we stayed where we were!! (Also, I think you've got some links issues.)

I'm not sure the photos show the insanity fairly.

We have been to Epcot when it was crasy busy. For example, on a Friday or Saturday night during Food and Wine.

But this was that to the tenth power. Thank goodness the twins didn't need to use the ladies' room.

Obviously, they let the crowd get way bigger at Epcot than they do at MK.

Oh, I had link and font issues. I think the link issues are fixed.

TCD

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Is that a priest praying over the people on the ground?

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

FUEGO!!

New Years at wdw is definitely not my speed.

I would go insane in those crowds.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Is that a priest praying over the people on the ground?

I don't know.

Let's take a closer look:

What do you think?

I don't think it's a priest.

Maybe an albino monk with a pony tail at best.

He/She does appear to be reading from a book.

Maybe some kind of spell?

Or it could be some lady using an ipad to take pictures.

I don't know.

TCD

[shoreline99 137]

Allow me to threadjack and say I am TOTALLY anti- using an ipad to take photos/video/what have you. It's distracting, rude, and blocks the view of whoever is behind you. I had to deal with several of those schmucks at my kids' winter concerts this year and I can tell you they pissed off pretty much everyone behind them.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Allow me to threadjack and say I am TOTALLY anti- using an ipad to take photos/video/what have you. It's distracting, rude, and blocks the view of whoever is behind you. I had to deal with several of those schmucks at my kids' winter concerts this year and I can tell you they pissed off pretty much everyone behind them.

Um don't come to Disney World for NYE then.

Using tablets as cameras has become an epidemic.

Imagine hundreds of idiots and their glowing screens right in front of you as you try to watch the fireworks.

Not so magical.

Fuego!

TCD

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Epcot would not have been my speed. I really don't like people.

And maybe the foreigners are just fans of crappy French cars.

Remember the Renault Fuego?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Epcot would not have been my speed. I really don't like people.

And maybe the foreigners are just fans of crappy French cars.

Remember the Renault Fuego?

Actually, I don't remember that car at all.

It looks pretty crappy, though.

TCD

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

I think I would have rather watched from the beach buy seeing DHS that late would have been cool

[magnoliafig 51]

FUEGO!

[Momof6....aka Marty 769]

I think I was very, very happy at home asleep in my bed when it became 2013 on the east coast. If I had been at WDW, I think I would have been at a campsite chatting with fiends.

BUT, thanks for sharing your pictures with us!

[dvccamper 32]

I don't know.

Let's take a closer look:

What do you think?

I don't think it's a priest.

Maybe an albino monk with a pony tail at best.

He/She does appear to be reading from a book.

Maybe some kind of spell?

Or it could be some lady using an ipad to take pictures.

I don't know.

TCD

Her feet kind of remind me of E.T. We could have documentation of a real alien. If not I'm going with the albino monk with a ponytail.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

Holy macaroni and cheese! Those crowds are ri-damn-diculous!

As much as I'd love to see the NYE fireworks at Epcot, I'm not sure I'd have been a happy camper with people squishing in on me and shouting FUEGO! in my ear.

Looks like the trip to HS was worth it though! Now THAT is the way to see Osborne lights. :)

[Nicki aka Rebelstand 272]

Holy macaroni and cheese! Those crowds are ri-damn-diculous!

As much as I'd love to see the NYE fireworks at Epcot, I'm not sure I'd have been a happy camper with people squishing in on me and shouting FUEGO! in my ear.

Looks like the trip to HS was worth it though! Now THAT is the way to see Osborne lights. :)

Would have been cool to ride TOT at midnight

[alexwyattmommy 181]

Don't think I will be putting NYE at Epcot on my bucket list. Way too many people for me.

[Family of Bears 98]

While you were doing all that nonsense, MD and FoB enjoyed a nice relaxing fire/beer tasting. Next year, that's what we should all do. It was relaxing, peaceful, and we all got to bond quite a bit. Bella said a few times "This is the BEST night of my life!!!" And no, she did not get any beer. I can see where that could be confusing. BTW, where is MD? I think he has a TR to begin. I know he's got great pics.

[we3peas 12]

Good idea. The only thing is, long rigs have a tough time making the right turn into the FW entrance from that direction.

TCD

That's the only way we come in. Going through the toll booths suck. We got cut off too many times so it's only the back way for us and we are 35+ feet long. I've seen 45 ft ones make it. Just take it slow.

[disney4dan 68]

Great TR, finally got caught up.

In that kind of crowd, I think it would be wise to plan ahead and consume copious amounts of chili. I would have nobody within 25 feet and the term Fuego would have a whole new meaning!