Today was day four of our four day pass. It was time to visit Epcot. I was there 20 years ago and I remembered that they had pavilions around a lake that showcased different countries. I knew there was another part to Epcot, but I could not recall anything more about the second part.
I didn't research Epcot before we left home because I ran out of time, but I did buy a great guide book, so I relied on it today to help us decide what to do. Good decision making is important because you cannot do it all.
In Future World there are nine buildings. Each area features one to three exhibits, rides, or shows. In the World Showcase area there are eleven different countries with exhibits, restaurants, and/or shops. If you are at the park when it opens and you stay until it closes, that only gives you twelve hours to explore and experience the 20 locations. You have to pick and choose.
We arrived at the park just a half hour after it opened. We were in the first parking area, so we walked into the park. We headed straight to Soarin' and punched our FastPasses. Then we stayed in the Land Pavilion and took a ride "Living with the Land." It was a boat ride through displays that illustrated the history of farming past, present and future. It was not a thrill ride.
Bentley loved the ride and wanted to go again right away. Viva said she didn't like it, but I don't know if she was just being contrary. When I pushed her to explain what she didn't like she said "Plants are boring." Jake said the ride was great.
Next we went over to The Seas Pavilion and attended Turtle Talk with Crush. It's an interactive theater show starring the surfer turtle from Finding Nemo. Young children were invited to sit up front on the floor and the turtle interviewed a few of them. Bentley was the first child chosen. He was asked his name, where he was from, and who he came to Disney World with. He answered the first two questions, but froze on the last one, so the turtle sought us out and interviewed Mark instead. The show was fun and humorous. The kids enjoyed it.
After the show we checked out the aquariums.
Before the show we had tried to go on the ride The Seas with Nemo & Friends, but it was temporarily closed. We trekked back to the Land Pavilion and saw a film on man's relationship with his environment. It featured characters from the Lion King. The children watched it attentively. I had a hard time staying awake. It's been a busy week.
We used our FastPasses and went on Soarin'. Soarin' is a ride that recreates the feeling of hang gliding over California. It was super cool. Definitely my favorite ride that I went on in all four Disney Parks. All three children liked it a lot. Bentley asked if there were other places Soarin' went. Jake and Viva said "Do it again!" Our FastPasses were available again, so we went to the machine and got new FastPasses to do Soarin' a second time later in the day.
The time stamped on our FastPasses for the Test Track had passed, so we headed over there. On the way we stopped in the Innovation Pavilion and tried out the free international soda flavors. Bentley, of course, refused to try any of them. Jake and Viva took a few sips. Viva really liked the watermelon flavored drink.
At the Test Track we tried out the automobile test track simulator ride. The boys loved it. It was fast. It was bumpy. It was swervy. Viva said she did not like it.
It was already 2PM and we hadn't visited half the pavilions in Future World, but we decided to go over the bridge to the World Showcase. We stopped at Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, the USA, Japan and France.
Mexico was the children's favorite. They had a boat ride that traveled through Mexican landscapes. They wanted to go again as soon as we got off the boat, but since there were still 10 other countries to check out, we didn't.
Norway was a big disappointment because our guidebook said there was a Viking ship playground at Norway. It's gone. We all shared a few items from the bakery.
China had a 360 degree film to watch. The children were not impressed. I fell asleep standing up and almost fell over. There was also an exhibit hall with terracotta warriors in it, but we forgot to look at them after the film. Arg! I really wanted to check them out--were they just replicas or the real thing?
Germany had gummy bears, chocolate, and a beautiful blown glass Mickey shaped ornament that I purchased as a souvenir. Near the Germany pavilion was a Snow White photo op. We waited in line for ten to fifteen minutes, so Viva could get her photo taken with Snow White and her Prince. Bentley opted out and therefore Jake did, too. I tried to coax Jake into doing it, but he said "I don't like pretty girls." He then added "I don't want to take a picture with beautiful princesses."
Italy had gelato. Mark and I love gelato. The Italian gelato at Epcot was $6 for two scoops--rather spendy, but you do what you have to do. I bought one for the twins and us to share.
The twins didn't share with us. I bought another one for Mark and I; we ate most of it, but shared some with the twins. There was a juggler in Italy that the children liked.
At the half-way point was the USA pavilion. We had a meal there. The children ate huge Mickey shaped pretzels. Mark and I had sandwiches.
Time was flying by, so we picked up our pace. In Japan I purchased a small lucky cat. (It was made in China!) We fast tracked it past Morocco and stopped in France to eat dessert, play in the fountain, and take character photos with an Aristocat.
We walked right by Great Britain and Canada.
Once back in Future World we stopped to check out the really fun fountains outside the Imagination Pavilion. Viva wanted to play in them and get wet, but Bentley cut the fun short with an urgent request that we find a bathroom.
It was past time for our second Soarin' FastPass, so we went there. It was as good the second time as it was the first. We decided to see if The Seas with Nemo and Friends ride was working. It was with no wait time. The children liked the ride.
Our final ride was Spaceship Earth. On the way to it we passed the Epcot character Spot. Mickey and Minnie were in attendance with a number of their friends. Bentley wanted to go in and get his photo taken, but the line was too long. Bummer, it would have been a great photo.
On we went to Spaceship Earth where riders spiral around the inside of the big Epcot sphere. Riders go by scenes depicting the history of communication from cave paintings to the alphabet to the printing press to home computers. Mark did not find this ride as instructive as I did because Viva beat him to the computer screen when you were supposed to pick your preferred language. She chose Chinese, so they heard the entire presentation in Chinese. That's our Viva--doing it her way.
It was 8:15PM when we finished with Spaceship Earth. (The children all liked the ride. B later said that the liked all the rides we did at Epcot.) It was time for us to head back to World Showcase to stake out a place to watch the finale show, IllumiNations.
We found a few feet of prime territory near Norway. Mark stayed with the strollers and twins while I took Bentley to find popcorn. We had to walk all the way to the US Pavilion before we found any. B told me that it was a good thing I took him along because of his eagle eye. He added then that I could just call him Eagle Eye Bentley. (He does have an eagle eye which I've mentioned to him. He's quite proud of that descriptor.)
IllumiNations is an 18 minute show over the water featuring music, fireworks, fountains, lasers, and special lighting. It's a good show. I liked it much better than Fantasmic, but the fireworks were not as awesome as those at the Magic Kingdom.
The children enjoyed the spectacle. Afterwards we had to walk out with the thousands of guests leaving Epcot. It was nearly 10PM when we got to our car.
We came back to the hotel and let the trio use the pool until 11PM when it closed.
This was our last night in Florida. It's been a wonderful time with them. I highly recommend taking your grandchildren to Disney World and Legoland. They will love it and you will love spending time with them.
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