Today is my
second and last day for visiting Epcot.
Since this
is my last day, today is Illuminations, and
everything I missed my first day. Today is also EMH for Epcot, so I plan
on
spending the whole night here, but also taking a
Besides
taking my camcorder and digital camera, I was also
carrying a combo binocular/digital camera, and rain shield for camcorder.
The bino camera, just didn't need to carry it. The rain shield, no threat
of
rain, no need for it either. As it turns out, I haven't carried my rain
poncho I bought for the trip, for it seems I forgot to pack it.
I am waiting
for the Epcot bus at
Arrived at park at
every 20 minutes. Also the Pop Century bus is the furthest bus to walk
to,
space 18. Space 17 isn't used. I wonder if someone just thinks that
the
cheapest guests should walk the most :)
When my
friend Sam found out I was looking for her legacy at
epcot the other day, she gave me coordinates. Only when I tried to figure
out her legacy, I found someone else's :) A not so subtle hint was when I
said something about her friend in it and she said....what are you talking
about?? ;) Of course this happened after I left the front of the park.
First stop
is UOE which was closed temporarily for technical
difficulties the other day.
Minor
diversion, did I mention before that I had no breakfast at
the Pop Century? Well, walking by the
Electric Umbrella, the smell of food was too much a temptation to pass up.
I stop for a egg, cheese, and sausage on a bagel with oj.
Its now
to spare before the preshow starts. I also inquire with a CM about
videotaping, told no and didn't do so :)
I still like
the original preshow, heat, pressure and time, then
Jeopardy. I suffer through it to ride the dinosaur part.
Its now
after 11, world showcase is open and I head to
for the boat ride. I ride the boat ride and take my time window shopping
till about
The other
night when I was at DTD, I stopped and asked if the
snack portion of the dinning plan covered churros, it didn't and I didn't
have
one. I look at the menu for La Cantina De San Angel, and I see for
dessert
I can have a churro. I eat at Taco Bell often at home, which I
enjoy. I
usually get nachos and cheese with meat, refried beans and sour cream. So
I
order this, or their version of this.
Issue 1,
when you order a coke or something to drink in a cup,
they place a cover over it so you don't spill anything when you walk to a
table, here they don't, the lids are on the table with napkins, straws and
such. Not smart :( But I do make it to the table without spilling
my soda,
then find a seat to relax a little. I watch as some people feed the
birds
who walk all around you.
Now maybe it was the fact that I ate
breakfast less then 2 hrs ago,
but I really didn't enjoy the food, not saying it wasn't good, but it wasn't
what I expected it was going to be. So I picked at the food before saying
I
had enough and left about 1/2 over.
Issue 2. How many people live
in a large metropolitan city, raise
your hands. How many eat lunch 'al fresco'? Al fresco means you eat from
push cart vendors out doors. You usually get a hot dog, pretzel or knish
like this. How do they serve the food to you? Wrapped in cellophane
paper,
right? :)
How many people know where I am
going with this yet? :)
So I am the average New Yorker in a
hurry, I buy a hot dog, and
start eating it on the way to my next job, walking and eating. I take a
bite and either the sound or something tells me I just bit off some of the
cellophane paper, and I see the bite marks on the remaining paper in my
hand. I know lots of people have done this, so admit it :)
Why bring this up?? Every time
I took a bite from the churro,
something told me I did the same thing, bit off a piece of the cellophane,
but I didn't. I'm sorry people, I know people love churros, but I cant
enjoy
eating food that reminds me of eating cellophane paper. :) All in all, my
worst meal here, but don't let me stop people from trying it.
I start working my way around World
Showcase Lagoon. First stop is
rode Maelstrom, so I skip it.
Next stop is China where they have
artifacts from the just opened
Disneyland Hong Kong on display, and try and take as many photos as I can,
waiting for the circlevision show to start. I misjudge this, as they just
close the doors, but let me in before the show actually starts. Different
show, some new things, some old things too. I think they use the same
narrator, but not sure. After the circlevision show, I reenter to finish
taking photos of what I had missed so far.
When I go into
confirm for myself. When they were designing and building
was supposed to get a water ride. Even though the space is there, the
ride
was never built. People have said that you can see where the rides
entrance
and exit into the pavilion would be. I wanted to see this for
myself. At
the back of the Cul de Sac for
splitting the entrance in two. On the right hand side is a floor to
ceiling
wall that somehow doesn't fit in. This is my guess as to where the ride's
entrance and exit is. It seems like a phony wall that could easily be
removed. There is a mural on this wall, but still doesn't look like it
would
be missed. As far as I am concerned, urban myth confirmed. :)
This is one of my favorite places in
Epcot, the garden railroad. I
was watching a CM trying to rerail some trains. He mentioned that the
tracks were under water this am, probably from a overnight rainstorm?? He
is really getting frustrated and threatens to give the trains away as he
volunteered to handle this assignment, and is not liking it today, so I
stick real close just in case he carries through with his threat of making
presents of these trains to guests. Sadly, but expectantly, he doesn't and
disappears behind a cm entrance with the locomotive that gave him fits :(
I stop in to look at Alfredos menu
as I have a adr for dinner. They
still have the lunch menu so I continue my trek around to each country to
window shop and press coin collect.
I stop and watch Impressions de
France, same film as I remember.
When I hit International Gateway, I
leave Epcot to do some exploring
here. I never walked around this area of the park. I did take a
boat
launch from Int Gateway to the hotels, but never got off.
The foot paths around here are
real empty. Most of the places are
still closed when I hit the Boardwalk. There was even a grocery store for
what I guess is Disney Vacation Club. I didn't look at what the prices
were,
but I am sure it wasn't cheap. :) I was guessing all the rooms above the
places on the Boardwalk were DVC rooms. I continue to walk the path
around
the lagoon here. I walk just about to the Swan and Dolphin, then decide
to
finish my walk around the lagoon and head back into Epcot. I left Epcot
about 2:30, made it this far by 3, and I feel the blisters on my feet, both
feet :( Staying up to
to
find a water fountain for my Brita. But would really love a Yoo Hoo now.
Only when I got home was I reminded that I walked right pass a place called
Beaches and Cream :(
I walk by a marina, and find a
working water fountain where I try to
re hydrate myself. Except for the Swan and Dolphin, I am not sure what
hotels these are. I am thinking Yacht and Beach Club. There is what
looks
like a beached wooden sailing vessel, that has a slide that goes over head
to a pool on the other side of the slide. This looks fun, but find out
later that this is just for guests of this hotel only, cant pool hop.
I get back to Int Gateway at 3:15,
so my little journey took me
about 45 minutes, but I got blisters on both feet, and exhausted myself.
My first stop back is Journey to
cool off and recuperate. The a/c
here is always nice and empty. I walk into the entrance...and its
packed.... maybe 5 other people then myself. :) I easily outwalk them in
the queue and wind up in my usual first car, first row seat. Without
giving anything away, it would be better in the middle of the set of cars
then the first car, not much of a difference. Next stop, The Land.
Its now 3:45, and I am going to wait
the 10 minutes till the next
showing of The Circle of Life. I never saw this till now. I posted
what I
am doing and I start to get replies back don't bother, but I do. And yes, it
wasn't that good. Too bad they sacrificed Food Rocks and not this for
Soarin
:( Its 4:20 and I figure to head back to Spaceship Earth for a relaxing
ride. Before I leave The Land, I notice how empty Garden Grill is, I
don't
see anyone eating at all. The slow spinning restaurant does look
interesting, but this is Dinner time, maybe early dinner, but at 4:30, I
thought I would see someone eating??
I was in and out of Spaceship Earth
by 5. Entering there was no
line, but after I entered the queue, about 20 people entered after me.
After the ride I sat by the exit to relax some more, chatting with the CM's
a little.
I have 5:45 ressies at Alfredos, too
early to just go there, not
enough time really to do something else. After sitting for about 5
minutes
I leave for Alfredos. I don't mind walking there, but the blisters hurt
when
I get started to walk, but after a couple of steps, the pain is bearable :)
When I approach WS lagoon, I see one of the launches is there, so I decide
to take that instead of walking.
Its 6:45 pm. I finished eating at
Alfredos. they do take you early.
I
showed up at
5:20 for a adr of 5:45 resie and was seated at 5:25. I had ceaser salad,
sampler
entree of ziti, lasagna, fetti alfredo. For dessert I had tiramisu (sp?)
I am going to take a little
monorail trip, first on epcot monorail
to ttc, transfer to resort
monorail, then back on epcot monorail.
I stop by Leave a legacy, figure out
the secret code to find people
and snap a photo of my friend Sam finally, albeit a bad photo, first time I
moved the camera while snapping a non flash photo at night.
I got back to Epcot at 7:45,get my
EMH wristband and going to find a
spot for Illuminations at 9. At 8, I find a nice little spot between
United
Kingdom and Canada. I can see the barges and there are no trees in the way.
I sit right at the fence and wait and relax. Others start sitting next to
me.
Illuminations ended at 9:15. I
really don't know what is open, what
isn't. But I know I want a box of popcorn for a snack. I sit down
at the
benches by the stores around the lagoon, eating my popcorn and drinking
water when Terri replies back with what is open when she reads my 'I don't
know what I want to do now.' email. Thanks again Terri :) Two
things on
the list appeal to me, Honey I shrunk the Audience, and listen to the Land.
To finish up this day, I went
into the 10 pm showing of honey I
shrunk the audience, which let out about 10 :30. I felt real beat.
What
happened to my idea of taking a break, oh yea, I decided to do a 45 minute
hike instead, not smart :) I decide to skip Listen to the Land and
headed back towards the bus.
I got back to the hotel at 11.
Picked up the
hats from yesterday. Took a quick 5 minute swim at the pool and headed in
for the night.
Tomorrow is my last full day, and my wild card, nothing planned. I know
adr
may become hard to get but here goes. :)
Head to DAK, ride Kali and jungle safari. Head to Dis-MGM for car
stunt
show.
As far as eating, maybe flame tree again, maybe not. As far as my last
sit
down, thinking Mama Melrose 1st choice, and sci fi 2nd. Then I need to
get
some more gifts here at hotel for friends and family.
Bruce