epcot
We have the
Disney Dining plan for our Time in WDW. We each had available to us for each of 3 days, 1 Quick Service Meal, 1 Snack, and 1 Table Service Meal.
ADR for today is at Chef De France for 5:10 pm
Even before entering the park, Autographs started! STITCH was waiting right there!
[/IMG]
The whole entry way was SO different from what I remembered of 3 1/2 years ago! The first ride we hit was SOARIN! That was and still is my FAVOURITE! If we had had the time, I would have retreated back there to go on it again and again. But also, Epcot and World Showcase, is actually a HUGE place. Did I ever mention how Perfect the weather was for us here? I don't think it ever rained again after that day in Downtown Disney! And warm, in fact Hot at times. Not humid though, Just Perfect!!
We finally got a great one of these traditional photos! Love the Golf Ball!
[/IMG]
We did test track. It was DS6's and my first time ever on this ride. I wasn't sure I wanted to go on it, as I don't do rollercoasters and typical kind of thrill rides. Motion sickness is big with me, and a rollercoaster ride once as a child and then once as an adult, told me, these rides are NOT for me. But the rest of my family other than the youngest LOVE them! Especially DS12! DH isn't that gung ho for them anymore either, but goes on them because we won't let DS12 ride alone (unless an older sibling goes with him too). BUT Test track was DH's favourite from 3 1/2 years ago, and convinced me to try it. SO OK, Test track, I actually liked. The race around the track was actually Scary but in a fun thrill kind of way! I would definately do Test track again!
[/IMG]
So we did most rides and attractions in Future World. Lots of Autograph seeking too, and making the most of our Photo pass. Oh yes, forgot to mention we took part in a photo pass share with two other families. It worked out GREAT! Lunch was a Quick Service at the Electric Umbrella.
We started into World Showcase around 1pm. This was my family's FIRST time ever in World Showcase. We just couldn't fit it into our Schedule on our First Disney Trip in 2006. I had made Passports for my 6 and 12 yr olds, but then forgot about them till after we'd already been through the first 4 Countries! We started at Norway and worked our way around Counter Clockwise. World showcase actually took a lot longer than I thought it would so we never did get to do the last Country, MY OWN!! But back to that later.
We loved Malestrom in Norway! Although I truly enjoyed looking through the shops in each country, my kids did not! We quickly got them hooked up with Kim Possible Interactive Adventure Game. In retrospect we should have put the kids into two teams of two (since the teens were also SO into this), but we didn't do that. So all 4 were fighting over the communicator for each mission, not wanting to take turns (really, my teens too????)
Between that petty arguing, they did have Some fun with it. I can see how they would have had more, if we had more than one communicator.
They really enjoyed finding the things they had to find, and watching funny and cool things happen when they correctly completed a mission!
[/IMG]
[/IMG]
Here they made this Green Monkey rise up out of the water!
[/IMG]
We let them each do 2 missions each, as it was this activity that really Slowed our progress through World Showcase. When they were finished, they deposited the communicator into the bin they are to be put into. Truly and awesome game if you can spare the time!
[/IMG]
So around the world we continued. Watched the amazing outdoor show in China, with the huge drums. Took some time to relax and watch a gentleman at the Out Post carve something out of wood. Don't know what the final product was as we didn't have time to stay THAT long
My two youngest boys partook in the Kidcot areas around the World. There was a kidcot center in each Country. They had a mask on a stick that they would add some color and designs to at each stop, and a special symbol from each country to hang off the mask. This activity kept them busy while we were at The American Adventure. There was a Beer tasting event happening and DH just HAD to go do that! That took about a 1/2 hour total. I didn't go in with him as someone needed to stay with the two younger boys. DD18 and DS16, wanted to wander around a bit on their own, and I felt they more than deserved that time. DD didn't go far, and then ended up getting really relaxed on a Wall/bench:
[/IMG]
[/IMG]
Soon enough it was time for Dinner. Now at 90 days out from our trip, when we were able to start making our ADR's, Le Cellier was what we had Wanted. But even from 90 days out, there were no openings available for dinner at Le Cellier. I had tossed around the idea of Biergarten and Tutto Italia. Dh wanted neither of those. We ended up agreeing on Chef De France, or more like I gave in to DH making the decision for us here.
The restaurant itself was lovely to look at. I felt we were under dressed in our T-Shirts and shorts/Capris, but we certainly had no time to go change. Our waitress...... hmmm, I dont' want to use harsh words.... She was pleasant enough, but seemed uninterested in the job. DS6 did not like Anything that was offered on the kids menu, but we went ahead and ordered him the cheese filled pastry. He ate only a few bites (very picky eater) DS16 and I ordered the French Onion soup, and this was in fact VERY Delicious! For the main courses, we each got something different.
I ordered the "Filet de boeuf grille, sauce au poivre noir Gratin Dauphinois et haricots verts" (Steak, potatoes and green beans) DH and DS12 ordered "Medaillon de Veau basquaise" (veal on onions with green beans and roasted potato.
My green beans were great, the potato gratin was ok, and although my steak looked good, it didn't taste good. To me it tasted like a tightly packed frozen hamburger would taste. Dh didn't care much for his meal but he ate it. DS12 could not eat his meal. He picked at it and picked at it. When the rest of us were done, as much as we could make ourselves eat considering we didn't really like the main parts of our meal, the waitress came by and asked DS12 if he meal was ok since he wasn't eating it. He told her very shyly, he didn't like it, and she did offer to bring him something else. She brought him out a chicken dish, he ate a bit of that, but Honestly it was a kids meal he wanted (but not from Chef de France). That was the biggest issue I had with the dining plan, the fact that kids 10 and over had to order from the adult menu. DS12 prefers the kids meals.
Now, even though our food was lacking in taste ect.... there was some mighty fine entertainment while we sat at our table! Outside the Window we were located aside of, there were entertainers stacking up chairs very precariously. Then one of them climbs the stack that was by now, 12 feet tall? And then he started juggling a few bottles of wine (I'm sure they were empty LOL). And in the restaurant, the Maitre De came around to each table and introduced us to Remy! He brought him over in a covered platter. When he removed the lid, There was Remy, squeaking away, and moving to look at everyone! Pretty awesome!
[/IMG]
[/IMG]
[/IMG]
By the time we left Chef De France, the sun had started going down. The whirlwind trip down, early mornings and late nights were quickly catching up with DH and myself. I had so badly wanted to stay and watch Illuminations, the evening fireworks, but in the end, We left our teens to watch for us (of course they weren't exhausted!) We finished the world tour stopping lastly at the Canada Pavillion. Unfortunately it was all closed down by this point except for the kidcot center. The only person there was the lone Canadian CM in a LUMBER JACKET! OH my, that was surprising that the organizers would choose a lumber jacket to depict Canadians. Shocking really. I would have loved to have seen the movie shown in the Pavillion but I guess both Le Cellier and that movie will have to wait till another year!
On the way out, we passed by this CM. THAT made my night, a Really nice Disney Touch to end the evening with.
[/IMG]
Back at the Hotel, we found this cute little guy on the wall at the top of the stairs. I didn't know frogs could climb walls!
[/IMG]
And DS6 Discovered that TINKERBELL does Too leave gifts for boys!!!
[/IMG]
And that ends our Day 5.
Next up... DHS!
So we would have to wait a couple of years before attempting such a trip with my kids. 
yay! but as i was reading i noticed all your pictures are gone? whats up with that? 
i was looking forward to seeing all your photos... 
