I Can't Go Back to Where I Used to Be

It's been a week of rest, relaxation and vacation for most of the merchies in Canada, likely explaining our lack of staffing this week.

I contributed a little, getting an early release from my shift on Wednesday to purchase a very small Duffy plush (it's important) and to hightail it over to Disney's Beach Club for a stay-cation with Rhys (please note, if you do visit that site for the Beach Club, bear in mind my resort discounts are significant). We checked in and found our water-view (ie boardwalk skyline) room on the third floor, lounged in our luxuriously large and soft beds, watched Bedtime Stories with Duffy and made ourselves presentable for a dinner at the Yachtsman Steakhouse, in the Yacht Club, a very short walk from the Beach Club. We had a decadent steak and wine dinner and had to stumble only a short distance back to our glorious room. 

Bedtime Stories with my favourite, and Mickey's favourite, bear!

The next morning, it turns out we can still sleep in like champions, so we found our way to the newly re-opened Hurricane Hannah's, a poolside lunch bar, and the the Hannah burger aka the breakfast of champions. We then got our very exclusive Beach Club pool bracelets, allowing us access to the lazy river and sand-bottom pool, as well as the shipwreck-themed waterslide, for the rest of our afternoon. 

The glory that is Stormalong Bay, the Beach-Club exclusive pool

When the wind got just too cold and shadows fell over the lazy river, we cleaned ourselves up and took a tour of the boardwalk, finally checking out the Swan and Dolphin Resorts and getting dinner at Kimono, a fabulously filling sushi restaurant in the Swan. We were lazy and it was cold after dinner, so we boarded a FriendShip boat to the Yacht Club, where we disembarked and went to Beaches & Cream, a fantastically 50s-themed ice cream shop for massive amounts of dairy. We went to Martha's Vineyard, a lovely lounge, on our way back to our room, setting our alarms to actually catch breakfast the next day. 

A very pleased Duffy at Beaches & Cream

Sure enough, we woke up bright and early Friday and went to the Yacht Club's Captain's Grille breakfast buffet. Best breakfast buffet on property, I promise. So many Mickey waffles! We digested on the beach, soaking in some vitamin D and watching the awkward seagulls before picking ourselves up to go to Epcot. I composed a list a few weeks back of attractions I have yet to do, so we were able to tackle a couple. We did Sum of All Thrills, in which you design and test your own roller coaster, and Habit Heroes, which essentially guilts our guests into drinking more water, eating better and getting more exercise. Rhys hadn't been on re-imagined Test Track yet, so we went on that before taking the FriendShip boat over the Hollywood Studios. There we watched an entire performance by landscape-themed streetmosphere band Mulch, Sweat & Shears, we went on the Great Movie Ride and we went on Star Tours. We then experienced the magic that is Fantasmic and got back on our boat for more ice cream at Beaches & Cream. 

Duffy in Oz. 

 We were both back to work the next day after breakfast at the Marketplace in the Beach Club lobby. I closed but all was well due to an unexpected day off Sunday, in which I wandered about the Disney Store in the Florida Mall for an hour, went for groceries and gas, and then joined Courtney for a random night at Magic Kingdom.

Newly re-fur-bished (Get it? Cuz they're bears?)
Country Bear Jamboree

Back to work today, an open followed by dinner at Olive Garden and shopping Downtown Disney with Sam.

I'm a bit tired, but I'll be hibernating in Canada.

TTFN,

Note: Limited Time Magic for the week is football-themed characters preceding the parade at Magic Kingdom. Lame. Next week though, True Love Week at Magic Kingdom!

Thanks to: Veronique, who extended on Wednesday so I could leave early, and that one Cast Member in Pin Traders Downtown Disney who miraculously knows more about pins than Sam and I combined. And we know a lot.