SATURDAY, AUGUST 02, 2003
We have EPCOT on our schedule for this morning and with a scheduled arrive time of 8:30 AM we need to drive (again!) This is a real pattern with me... but I feel a little stranded if I have to wait for a bus with a crying baby!
We have a coupon from the BWV for a free one-day rental of a Pal Mickey and I go over to the gift shop to redeem it. We learn how to operate him while driving over to EPCOT.
We are through the turnstiles early (YAY! This is the smart way to avoid backing up the crowd!) The rope drop is by Space Ship Earth (or the "Big Ball" as we call it!). We discuss our plan, and for the first time realize that we are the only one's who made it this early. We get a cell phone call and learn the reason why... they decided to take the bus which picked them up, then made a run over to FT. Wilderness where they had to load several handicapped people. We let them know we will keep in touch and see them inside!
We are enjoying the day so far, it's not too hot ~ slightly muggy from being overcast. All of a sudden, unexpectedly I might add since I had never seen this, a "Character Caravan" pulls up behind the rope drop chock full of characters! Captain Hook and Smee were even there! The music starts and we know it's time to boogie!
As the crowd starts moving, I know DD14, DD8, and I will become separated from DH who is strolling DD2, so I shout, "Meet us at Test Track for the Baby Swap"! Then we join the other marathoners hoofing it for Test Track. Just before getting in the Single Riders line, I ask the CM for a Child Switch Off Pass and he graciously gives me one! One thing we all noted about the single rider passes (which look just like Fast Passes, but say Single Riders) they sure looked worn and beaten up. In fact, one of ours tore in half and I had to make sure not to lose both pieces! Perhaps (IMHO) a more durable material should be used for these if they are going to be used over and over again! We zip right through and ride with the wind blowing our hair all over the place! By the time we are out, DH is in the waiting area and he goes back with the 2 girls to ride in the Fastpass line. I settle down in the passenger seat of a SAAB to feed DD2 her morning bottle... This is very relaxing and I get to do quite a bit of people watching which is always fun. After the ride we all exit Test Track and head over to MISSION SPACE!
Is there anything as great as a new ride before you have ridden it? The drama, the anticipation? I just can't wait to get over there! The CM's are being very careful to ONLY let AP passholders inside! I mean if the parents had AP's but their kids didn't? Too bad, kids! You're waiting outside! Luckily we all have them. DH rides first with DD14 and DD8 while I find a cool place to sit inside with DD2. Not too much time passes before they are back. Everyone raves! My turn! I go back in with DD8 and DD14. Looking around and trying to keep from hyperventilating. (I'd heard the stories too, you know... about feeling nauseous?) We climb into our module and I am the Commander for my first ride. We are a GO!
OKAY...spoilers coming so skip to next paragraph if you "don't wanna know"! THIS RIDE IS COOL!
Never once did I feel nauseous! I thought I would scream at lift off, because that is exactly how it FELT and seemed like we were lifting off from the earth! During our mission, different crew members needed to perform different tasks such as "separating the rocket module", putting us into "hypersleep" etc... and trying to reach up and press the buttons you could feel the G-Forces trying to hold you back! AWESOME! I went on this ride 4 times! My new fave at EPCOT!
OKAY SPOILERS OVER!
Back outside our 2-way radios go off and it's DB and SIL with their kids. We say to meet us in front of Test Track. Luckily I had gotten FastPasses earlier, so we give our Fastpasses to them and the rest of us jump back into the Single Rider line. We ended up riding very close together! After we're off, we get a page from sister, BIL, and DNeph13. We tell them to meet us over at Mission Space where we ride again. My parents who are not Test Trackers, let alone Mission Spacers, have headed over to The Land and on to England for Fish 'n Chips. We are headed to Norway for the buffet.
*When my parents learn we have gone to Norway, my dad's fave, they turn around and say to save a place for them!
We have no real wait even without PS for lunch. Restaurant Akershaus (think of it like "Aker's house") is not open for another 5 minutes. We are among the first seated and they are able to accomodate us at two tables. One for the adults, one for the children. Perfecto! We run into some language barriers with the CM who is a Norwegian citizen. She leads us to believe that she can break the check up into 4 parts with the Disney Dining experience card (which other restaurants have done, so it is not unusual) but at the end she messes everyone's checks up and forgets to deduct 20%. It takes us about 30 minutes to finalize the bill at the end. But the food was wonderful! And the Ringes beer is a legend! Very delicious and a nice complement to their buffet! There has been a recent major change to their buffet and I really like it! When you arrive and put in your drink order, you also put in your hot entree item. (Mine was salmon, which was sheer ecstacy!) Others had porcini mushroom alfedo type of dish, and others had swedish meatballs. My dad as always, had the fish (hallibut?). Meanwhile all the cold dishes, breads, salads etc.. are up on the buffet and you can serve yourself. Very neat! This is all you can eat and the last lunch seating is at 4 PM, so for $13.95 you can have yourself a nice inexpensive early dinner if you prefer!
After lunch, DD8 is the one who really needs a nap and wanted to ride Mission Space one more time as well as Spaceship Earth. I volunteer to take both DD2 and DD8 back to the WL while everyone else enjoys EPCOT. We do make it back and ride Mission Space. I even get to shop in the gift shop... purchasing 2 or the special limited edition Mission Space AP 2003 pins! (Oh, did I not mention I am a pin collector as well??) I haven't traded any yet, since I haven't seen any I like better than those I already have! Upon exiting the ride, the wind has picked up and thunder is booming... so we make a dash for Spaceship Earth. It is so dark I give DD8 the choice to stay dry and get back or ride the ride and huddle under the "Big Ball" in the rain.. She chooses the car (Smart girl!) and we RUN! I mean I am holding my breath because I see lighting striking (not at my feet, or anything) but, I want IN the car! We make it and are inside before the fat drops break onto the windshield!
Nothing better than to hear the rain drops on the roof of the WL when you're in the mood for a nap! We've got Hoop de Doo tonight and want to be wide awake for that! AAAHHH! That pillow feels so g-o-o-o-o-o-o-d!
smooth: super secret, I won't even tell my family... and doubt if they can ever find it again without me!) It is so secret, I even make one wrong turn and have to double back! We find it and I am fixing to go back to the entrance to track down DH and DD2 when someone says, "There he goes!" After bringing him back to our spot, he tells me that was not him who was driving by in the parking lot... He apparently stopped for gas at the station and went right instead of left and ended up at Blizzard Beach. After getting directions, he found the right place and an angel on his shoulder must have guided him to where we were!
!) While we are waiting to be seated, my Sister casually mentions she brought clothes thinking we were going to "Whispering Canyon". OOPS! No one ever mentioned going to WC and since we are headed to Hoop de Doo tomorrow night, I thought it would be too similar... While WC is fun, the food we had eaten there had been unmemorable... Artists Point, from our experience, had a beautiful atmosphere and superior food.
