Sunday, June 27, 2010

Day 11 - Epcot

Day 11- Epcot

 
We went into today knowing it would be a really low key day, which was nice. We all got up around 8 or so, and had breakfast in our room before heading our around 9am. We took the monorail to Epcot, which takes about 15 minutes from the time we leave our room to the front gate of the park.


We had used one day of Give a Day, Get a Disney Day options left (you could get a collectible pin set, a one day admission or a set of fast passes for your group that day to all the attractions). We did the fast pass option that day (why we didn’t get to the park at rope drop- all the rides were at least 50 minute wait time when we showed up. Knowing we had front of the line access for each ride was nice, and made the morning fly by.

First we headed to the Sea pavilion. This housed the Nemo ride (part CGI stuff, part real aquarium), which we did first. It was pretty lame, but the kids liked it. Then we explored the 2 story aquarium that houses dolphins, sharks, sting rays, manatees and a coral reef environment. P went up to one of the workers to tell them about our sting ray experience and because of that we were selected to go up to the top level to see where the divers equipment stuff was, where some of the animals came up to feed and how the ran the aquarium. We weren’t allowed to bring our cameras for this, but it was just me, the kids and 2 workers. Really cool, and we learned a lot (its the 2nd biggest tank in the US, the glass is 8 inches thick but has zero size distortions looking through, they have more than 3,000 types of fish housed here, etc).



We next headed over to the Land pavilion to do Soarin. It’s the same ride as in California that is called Soarin over CA there- here it’s just Soarin. Kinda weird. I forget how much I actually dislike this ride. I‘ve been in it more than a handful of times in my life now and I have never thought it was that cool. I mean, ok- it is that cool but the seats that rock like ferris wheel seats and the getting lifted stories up in the dark in front of such a big imax screen in front of your face that makes you dizzy- yeah not my fav. Aidan loves it though, so I always feel obliged. P dealt with it, but I caught her looking away a lot of the time.

We walked over to test track next- which is the longest (track wise) and fastest ride in Disney’s history. Aidan had wanted to do it but I could tell he was starting to chicken out but P ran for it and he knew he was outnumbered. The ride has you walking through a queue that looks like a car testing facility. Then the ride starts with you undergoing safety tests and handling tests. That part was kinda stupid, but got you excited for the outside part. Then you speed outside going around a race track and taking crazy degree turns. So fun, esp with it being so warm out. Aidan hated it, go figure but P LOVED it. When you left the ride there were a ton of cars on a show floor that kept Aidan happy for a bit though.


We played around in a shop for a bit, then headed over to the Innovations building, which had a lot of craft stations, science things (think Pacific Science center) and tons of hands on electronic stations. The kids happily played for about an hour or so before we had to go to lunch.


We had reservations at Coral Reef restaurant, which was housed in the lower level of the Nemo pavilion with the aquarium. The food was really good, but the view was the best part- esp since all the sharks tended to be down where we were. P was fascinated and not at all freaked out.

 After lunch we poked around a bit more in shops, and another imagination station there and then called it a day. We were only in Epcot from about 9:30 to 2 (including an hour for lunch) but we saw all of Future World (and skipped the 2 main space rides that kids either were too little for or scared of). We headed back to the resort and I took a 2 hour nap while the kids played in the room. We hit the pool for a couple hours and then had dinner at our resort to go. We ate in our room watching old Mickey cartoons and then headed to bed early. Nice relaxing day.


Tomorrow is our last day in the parks! We will spend it back at Epcot, but doing the world showcase (the 12 countries). I think P may need a stroller rental tomorrow….she barely had any steam left in her little legs today and the countries are set up around a 4 miles lake. And at one point we have lunch that may require us to backtrack and then retrace our path (more walking).

On a dif note- I'm feeling slightly homesick today...this trip def hasn't felt too short- and I really wish the timing had worked out to do the parks before the cruise. The kids keep complaining a bit and I am feeling a little let down because of how great the cruise was compared to all the walking, the doing things for yourself the inconvenience of everything, etc. The cruise was perfect for a million little reasons for my family.  I am looking forward to coming home Monday. That will have been 14th day of traveling and it feels like it.  I miss my boyfriend, I miss my friends, and the kids are kinda driving me nuts...

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