After fighting the crowds at DTD and not really wanting to anymore, I decided to break my vow and head to Epcot sans husband. How to do it, how to get there... hmmmm......... bus to a resort, bus/walk/boat to Epcot, got it! But I sure wish they had bus service to the parks from DTD.. oh well.
I arrived at the bus coral by the Marketplace... yep... jam
packed. I didn't even feel like investigating. I made an immediate Uturn and decided to take my first cruise down the Sassagoula via Water Taxi! Didn't have to wait too long, then boarded the vessel. Sorry no pics, but it was really dark.
Did I say dark? Yeah.. REALLY DARK! Once you pass the amazing views of DTD from the boats, and ohh and ahh at the beauty of Saratoga Springs.. it gets SUPER DARK! And since I had never cruised the Sassagoula, I had no idea where we were going, it was kinda scary! But I had faith in our captain and he got me to POR safely. In fact, when we stopped at POFQ, he noticed me writing in my little Disney journal and started harrassing me about it. He accused me of taking notes about him to turn in to the authorities. It was funny! I had a good time joking with him and not having to worry about embarassing DH.
I walked right over to the bus stop to see an Epcot bus just waiting for me
I also stepped on right behind a large group of young, inebriated, college-aged kids. Yes, I said kids. They made me feel so OLD! And I enjoyed watching them...made me glad I don't have to relive the days of dressing to try to impress/seduce someone or listening to guys talk like complete idiots in order to try to out-do one another. A couple of cuss words even flew out... on a Disney bus, really, though...
They really were quite annoying!!
POR is humongous! I got a taste of it on this bus ride out. We stopped three or four more times before we were finally on our way.
I got to Epcot.. it was empty!! I've NEVER walked right up to bag check before.. SWEET! Seriously, the whole 'outer rim' of the main entrance was desolate. I was so pumped!
I had to go get my AP, so a made a bee-line to Guest services and had to wait behind a few people who obviously were not as welll-moused as ME! Then I get my AP... darnit..it has the 7 Dwarves on it. I hate that! I want my AP to have Mickey on it, is that so much to ask?! While contemplating how spoiled I would look if I asked for a better AP, I hear a THRONG of people... I look up, and a monorail has just arrived. That thing must've been bursting at the seams.. there are SO many people walking down the sea of ramps.
I start to move it towards the entrance. Guess what? Now they've moved the bag check to the entrance gates.. so I have to go through it AGAIN
Yeah, I know.. me and about 437 other people who just left MK to come to EMH hours with me...
Fie upon me!! Why did I NOT get my AP ahead of time?! WHY WHY WHY!!?? I would've been on Test Track for the third time if I didn't get stuck in this cow-herding experiment. They only had FOUR turnstiles open, too. BOO!!
Enough griping, I'm in.
And I head to SE first thing. Not a single person in line. I ask the CMs for a car to myself.. which was kinda funny because there was NO one else around for miles! I dig the new SE. A couple of noticeable updates, and it just seems more tied together all around. The technology piece at the end it hillarious!! Make sure you smile nice for the camera at the beginning when they ask you to!
Next stop was Mission:Space ORANGE of course!! I had to wait longer than I thought but loved being able to talk to people. I met a kind dad and his DD from Amarillo, TX. They had never ridden so I gave them some of my best MS tips (like NEVER, EVER look to the side during lift off!!). I absolutely loved the ride as always! That sensation at lift off is like nothing else you can ever experience!!
On to Test Track Single Rider Line (I love that invention!). Only had to wait ten minutes. They shuffled us through the pre-show, too.. didn't have to sit through the video. Although, I do love it when the guy tells the lady to "pick one" for an extra test... and she pushes a button.. and you see the car do a head on crash... that's good humor!! I was able to give a few more tips to some first-time-test-track-riders.. I feel so knowledgable about all things Disney
. LOVED the ride. Just LOVE the speed part (really, that's the only part I do love, but it is so worth all the other silliness).
Walked through Mouse Gear on my way to look at Soarin'. That place was as bad as WoD and it was 10:30 at night. Amazing!
Okay.. here we go...
SOARIN' IS ALWAYS PACKED. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS!!! WHY?!?! I don't care... I am riding this ride. I missed out on our last trip and I'm NOT WAITING ANYMORE... except I ended up waiting 45 minutes..boo! At least I had a chance to catch up on my TR notebook
Gripe alert:
What have they done with the Soarin' queue!?!?! It STINKS!!! DH said that the last time he and Tyson went through the FP line, he heard the crowd playing some kind of interactive activity while they were waiting in line. Well, whatever that was, was NOT there for me. All they had were scrolling art displays with really dreamy, put-you-to-sleep music playing. ME NO LIKEY!! It made the wait seem even longer! BRING BACK THE TRIVIA, PLEASE!!!!
Almost there....
Except now you have to wait another twenty minutes.... <<evil laugh>>
and you have to sit on the bottom row..
That's IT. I will NEVER ride this ride again without asking for the top center, EVER!! The ride is just not good when you are on the bottom or middle row.
HEAR ME PEOPLE!!! When you ride Soarin' ask to wait for the TOP CENTER!! You wait long enough, what's another 5 minutes!?
Okay.. I got my fix of my Epcot favs... I am SO ready for bed!!
I took a bus back to POR.. stumbled to my room.. and PASSED OUT shortly after midnight!! Sorry if it sounded a little gripe-y.. but it WAS late....
What a LONG day!!
and what an EARLY wake up call!!
... Stay tuned for my solo morning at DHS EMH!!