Sunday, 2/24
Hi everyone! Sorry it's taken so long for another update, I have a lot going on right now! Every time I think I have some time to do an update, something comes up!
I'm hoping to finish up this TR in the next week or so, since we're on the last day, and then I can concentrate on my November TR, because I still have a long way to go with that one!
So you all read about Diane's race experience right? Well now you get to hear about what Caitlin and I did while Diane was running!
I had an awful night sleeping that night. Diane woke me up a few times when I was snoring, and then I had to wake her up when her alarm was going off for the race, which was at like 2 something I think. The whole time she was getting ready I was awake, and I didn't go back to sleep until she left. Then Caitlin woke me up at 4:30 because again, I was snoring. I told her to go try to go back to sleep and I think she might have for a little while, but again, I'm pretty sure she woke me up. So finally we got up and started to get ready. We wanted to get to Epcot for rope drop, but we also wanted to go to a resort for breakfast first. I thought about trying to be at the Finish Line for when Diane finished the race but I wasn't sure if we'd make it in time. I'd find that out soon enough.
Before we left the room, I called the Bounceback number and booked my December trip. I originally had it booked for the week after Thanksgiving at the Yacht Club. A dream trip. (But I ended up canceling it a few weeks ago because Brandon thought he couldn't get the time off in December. Then last week he tells me he can! So I booked our flights but not the resort yet, I'm probably going to just book Pop this week so I can do our ADR's this weekend, and then hope free dining comes out soon so I can at least upgrade us to a mod!)
Once I was off the phone, and Caitlin was dressed and covered in sunscreen, we hopped on the monorail She wanted pancakes so we went to the Grand Floridian, where we knew the quick service place had them. When we were on the monorail, we noticed we could see the half marathon going on! It was so exciting!
When we got to the Grand Floridian, I had no idea where I was supposed to go to get to the QS place. We checked a map and it looked like we had to go outside, so we did that and luckily, we found it with no problem!
Ahh, I LOVE the Grand Floridian! We went here so many times on this trip, so it makes me want to stay there even more now! It's just so pretty and perfect!
We went in and I ordered Caitlin's pancakes and I got a croissant sandwich and tea. We sat and ate, and Caitlin wasn't very impressed with her pancakes, which I could kind of understand, because they looked a little overcooked. Finally we were ready to get back on the monorail to go to the TTC and get to Epcot!
Easier said than done. When we got to the TTC we saw just a sea of people at the end, and a huge line up the ramps to the Epcot monorail. The Princess Half ends in Epcot and all of the people were trying to get there to see their friends and family at the end of the race. I was hoping if we made it there early enough we could do the same thing, but there was absolutely no chance of that now!
I talked to Caitlin about what we should do...first we thought maybe we should take a bus to Hollywood Studios, and then walk to Epcot from there. But I figured that would take just as long, so we just got in the line. It was moving, just very, very slowly. Here's what we were waiting in:
It was boring. It was hot and humid and I was aggravated because clearly, we weren't making it to Epcot for rope drop. But Caitlin and I managed to amuse ourselves, and she didn't whine or complain once, I was impressed!
She did ask a few times why it was taking so long, but other than that, she just waited along with me. We tried to make a plan for what to do once we got to Epcot. All she cared about was Test Track, so we were going to try for that first, and then go to Soarin'.
After about 45 minutes, we were finally on a monorail and on our way to Epcot! It felt like we waited forever in that line, so we were pretty happy to finally be on the monorail!
Again, when we were on the monorail, we could see the runners in the marathon! I told Caitlin to look for Diane from the windows, haha!
Once we were pulling into Epcot, Caitlin was looking at the runners and said "I SEE MOMMY!"
Everyone on the monorail laughed and thought that was adorable, of course!
Just seeing the runners run through Epcot like that from the monorail really made me want to start training for the marathon. I really want to do it someday. I'm just not a runner. My sister says she's not a runner but she obviously is if she trained for a half marathon so quickly.
I couldn't even finish the Couch to 5k! But someday, even if it's not next year, I will run the Princess Half!
Caitlin and I got off the monorail and went into Epcot!
The atmosphere was crazy, because you are walking into a park where a marathon is going on! It was so much fun, actually being there and seeing it happen! They had cones out to separate the regular park guests from the runners and if you wanted to cross from one side of Epcot (like the side with The Land to get to the side with Test Track) you had to wait for them to re-route the runners and they would make you cross as a herd of people together! It was strange, but very effective!
Caitlin and I checked the wait times, and Soarin' had no wait! So I convinced her that it would be better to just ride Soarin' now and get it over with, and then go to Test Track. She agreed, so we were off to Soarin'! I think it was maybe a 5 minute wait, if that!
Nothing better than an empty Soarin' queue!
Soarin' was amazing, as always, but we had to run over to Test Track if we wanted to ride that before the line was too bad!
We had to wait a little while to cross over, so I took more pictures of the runners!
We crossed and ran over to Test Track, which had a 30 minute wait, so we just got in line instead of getting a Fast Pass. Caitlin wanted to design her car again, and of course, what do you think happens when we get to the design your car room? Our monitor doesn't work! Along with like, 10 other people! So the CM who was working, who looked totally aggravated, had to come restart the computers for the people who's screens weren't working, and ours went back on just as we had to leave the room. Lame.
The ride itself was fun, again, I'm not a huge fan of the change of the theme, but I do love the ride!
While we were waiting in line, I got a text from Diane, saying she was finished with the race and was going to sit in the Race Retreat tent for a little while, which gave Caitlin and I time for Test Track. When we were finished, we had to make our way over to the World Showcase to find Diane in Norway.
Diane was waiting for us in Norway. I couldn't believe she actually wanted to walk around a park after running that race, if it were me, I'd be dead! But there were tons of people doing the same thing, so I guess it's pretty common!
I had to get a picture of her medal, isn't it pretty?
I want one of my own SOOOO bad!
We had an ADR at Via Napoli in a little while, but we had some time, so we hopped in line for Maelstrom, which is one of my favorites! I don't think Caitlin liked it very much, she seemed afraid of it, which I guess I can understand, it is kind of dark and scary for a kid, but it's just so much fun!
Up next...Via Napoli and Agent P!
