Florida
- Day 18
Monday 10th November 2025
Participants: Tam, Kev, India, Georgia and Charlie
This is Charlie and Georgia's last full day as they are flying home 3 days before the rest of us. Up at 8.30 am to find that Tam has already sneaked out to the lobby to read her book. I join her and write up the trip report. Back in the room the others are stirring and we have a healthy breakfast of Madeleines from Victoria and Albert's and a cookie from Gideon's. The temperature is 14 degrees C, but at least it's sunny.
Around 11.00 am we walk into Epcot and stroll around World Showcase stopping to look around in Japan.
In Italy we decide to go into Tutto Gusto wine bar as Charlie has seen they have Aperol Spritz and he's quite partial to them. We have to wait a few minutes, but are soon shown to a table. Tam, India and I share a wine flight ($26), which we enjoy almost as much as Tam enjoys our server Eduardo. She almost gushes 'Oooh, young man' as he waits upon our table.
On to the Amercain Pavillion where we watch the American Adventure before I have a lobster roll and a small beer, both being very nice. In Mexico we queue up for around 15 minutes for a table in Cava Del Tequila. The queue here is always quite large, but the majority of people are going to the bar for a takeout margarita. The drinks here are consistantly good if somewhat expensive. We also get the tortilla chips with salsa, guacamole and hot cheese, what will forever refered to by the family from now on as 'Chipsies and dipsies'.
The chipsies and dipsies are done, but the drinks remain.
A
continuing stroll brings us near to Test Track. The wait is 75
minutes, but we decide to do single rider. I'm considering wether
this ride might be a bit too much for me after a couple of drinks
and leave them to it while I get a small glass of Chardonnay from
a booth. They are off the ride quickly after just a 5 minute
queue and say the new version is quite good. I'll try it out in
the next couple of days.
As it's Georgia and Charlie's last day they are determined to
ride Guardians of the Galaxy despite the 80 minute advertised
queue time. Much as I'd love to ride I know it's just too much
for me, so I go off on my own and ride Spaceship Earth before
wandering around for a while.
Not sure who should be more scared, Georgia and Charlie or Groot.
....and that's why I don't ride Guardians.
When I walk back to Guardians I can see that the ride is down, so I wait ... and wait ... and wait! They eventually come out some 2 1/2 hours later. They'd been waiting for 70 minutes when the ride went down and so decided to stick it out in the hope that it would be up and running soon. When they went in it was warm and sunny, it's now dark and decidedly chilly, so much so that I've been wandering in and out of shops just to keep warm.
Luckily
they are out just in time for our 7.10 pm reservation at Geo 82
the new cocktail bar next to Spaceship Earth. We were lucky to
get an almost perfect time for us and plan to stay until 9.00 pm
to watch Luminous. It's nice to get out of the cold and into a
warm environment. We get a booth very central with a great view
towards the lagoon and the American Pavillion.
The place is lovely. An adult only bar with great lighting and
relaxing Epcot music. Our server Melissa is really good and we
start with a beer each and the charcuterie to share.
The waiting area at Geo 82.
We move onto a glass of wine each with the tuna ahi, the crab gateau and the flatbread. All are lovely. We finish with a cocktail (although I can't remember what mine was) and settle down to watch the fireworks.
Somehow
it seems more intimate to watch from here even though it's at a
distance. You don't get the loud bangs of the fireworks and the
music is loud and clear. Nearly everyone watching is quiet and it
makes for a really immersive experience. It helps that it's cold
outside and we're in a lovely warm bar. It's a lovely farewell to
Epcot for Georgia and Charlie.
Of course this all comes at a price and the final bill is around
$450 including the 20% gratuity, but we all think it's been well
worth it.
We walk back through World Showcase to the International Gateway and plan to return to the room to watch the end of the Eagles v Packers game.
The scary chairs in The Boarwalk lobby (shiver).
One of the very few times that a fire is actually welcome in Florida.
Georgia, Charlie and India stay outside for a while to watch to see a rocket launch, which they say is quite impressive in the clear night sky. The downer on an otherwise excellent day is that the Packers lose for a second successive week. Oh well, the Packers loss and the cold weather can't detract from a great day.