After lunch we did go back to the resort, if we're gonna freeze our ashes off tonight for EMH no point in freezing them now.
Besides, we still had the Soylent Green sample.
This wasn't a really long break, but it's really a short bus ride from Epcot to Pop. It was nice to warm up in the room again.
A couple of hours later we were getting ready to head on back, got fuzzy cups made,,,,,, then got the results from the lab on the DNA.
Turns out a few DNA profiles matched up from the sample;
Howard Hughes was one. And definately Amelia Earhart was in there.
A surprise was somebody I had forgotten about that had traces in the sample, Steve Guttenberg.
And the last match belonged to,,,,,, no surprise here,,,,
Michael Eisner.
We got back to the park just before sundown, and it was already getting cold.
Not just that, our plans were all shot to hell.
There wasn't really much we wanted or needed to see this trip from Epcot, but the timings were all wrong.
On the Hit listk was Turtle Talk, haven't seen it in years, and now I want to try it since I have now gotten bionic ears and can hear it.
Smidgy also wanted to get behind the American Gardens Theatre and watch the Candlelight Processional, we were blessed with the "Dentist", Corbin Bernson, tonight. No, Dianes' idol, Susan Lucci, wasn't for a couple more nights when we have other plans made.
And finally, we wanted the hear the Voices of Liberty, especially sing Christmas carolls and hymms. And today, we're not going to be able to knock off any of them, the line for Crush is way too long, Voices are done already for the day, and I don't want to stand outside way in the back if they will even let you to watch Corbin Bernson.
It was pow-wow time in the smoking area out side the Land Pavillion. Ok, we are coming back Tuesday, problem is our ADR is for 1:30 at Coral Reef,,,,, screws everything up, right smack in the middle of the day. Fine, with all we have read lately on Coral Reef going downhill, maybe we can get an early Res. for Morocco, or at worst, Germany.
Ok, felt like we have a plan, with that we went inside and finished our fuzzy cups listening to Simba get on his high horse about ecology. I always thought it would be much more realistic and attention getting if when Simba saw the dam Pumba and Timon had built to divert the water to their new resort if he had just leaped over and eaten Timon with one gulp.
"Yeah, that'l teach ya to play beaver."
Then we went to use our now 6 hours expired Soarin' fastpasses.
We flashed the passes for the first guy in front, he started to wave us through the fastpass lane, then suddenly put his hand on my shoulder and stopped me.
My whole life flashed in front of my eyes!
I don't think I have ever been touched by a cast member before, ever. Even when I've fallen and get up bloody there is usually a cast member Johnny on the spot but they just throw bandaids at me, or use a rake to push me back into a chair or bench.
So I figured the expired fastpass jig was up, they were now going to sentance me to go stand in the greenhouse next to those hanging Kumquats or whatever they were and have the Ponzi in every boat that passes yell out to me, "Hey, How's it hangin'?"
But no, hold on here, he throws a lanyard thing over my head and tell me it's a timer and to give it to the next cast member up ahead.
Ok, played this before,,,, whew!
Kinda funny though:
The first 6/8 times, this has happened to us, I mean the bringing the timer thingy to the front, it was always, ALWAYS, given to Smidgy, they's throw it on the roof before they would give one to me in line.
But now? They gave me one yesterday on Buzz when all they had to do was peek there head around the corner and look inside to see it was less then a ten minute wait.
And now, I can't do enough for them?
Must be the moustache.
Has to be it, what else could it be?
"Yeah, here comes that guy, give the line wait timer to him, not to the woman he's with. For some reason this guy is on a completely different plain/plane, of time that nobody can compare to for accuracy.
Even NASA calls him up to verify the correct time.
And right on cue, I handed it in to the next fastpass scrounger member we met, then we were seated in the second row.
Smidgy prefers row 3 for her fear of heights, it doesn't really matter too much to me, I like switching around, but I guess I think the most impressive show comes from row 1.
As we are Soarin' along it suddenly came to me;
"Hey, mister great timer man, what are the odds you can grab a picture of the supposed hidden Mickey on the golf ball that flys toward you?"
I got my camera out and readied it quickly.
Ok,,,,,,ok, ok, here we go, I"m gonna get it, I'm gonna get it, watch my thunder, gonna get it,. gonna get it,,,,
NOW!
Right there, ya see it? It's right there!
Right th,,,,,,
Ok, I know, it's not there.
Crap, I'm lucky to even get the golf course in the picture, much less the actual flying golf ball.
I knew the camera couldn't have the flash on or they'd beat me to a pulp, so I just slid the setting to "screen", wherever it was last set on, more than likely, it was on the fireworks setting.
Which means it will finally take the shot sometime on the bus ride back to the resort.
And don't jiggle the camera in the meantime.
At this time we decided to go and use our fastpasses we had picked up for Test Track. Forgot to mention that on the way out from Teppanedo.
At the boarding station, Smidgy asked for the front seat, she often does, and we were put on the side for a few minutes, then seated with a guy with his two sons behind us.
OFF we go!
Things were going just swimmingly until right after we went through the "Belgium Blocks" segment, which I think is just there to find out who's not wearing a bra.
Then, during the anti=lock brake segment we lost all audio commentary.
This is serious!
We absolutely MUST perform our pre-ordained roles at the correct and proper time in this attraction or the universe will cease to exist, but now with no commentary, it's impossible to do this.
I mentally tried to time it to the ride experience, I could almost picture him saying to the woman, "Are you seeing an increase in the lateral forces?"
And I responded like Smidgy and I always do,,,, "Sure Am." but I knew it wasn't right. Smidgy heard me say Sure am and realized herself how serious this could be for mankind.
And so, now that we know we cannot fullfill,,,,,,,fullfil,,,fullfil,,,,,,,Ok, sorry, I'm stopping now,,,ANYWAY,,,,,,, we are now in an ineffectual situation when it comes to saving the world........
However,,,,,,, we still now have to deal with the door opening up, and sending this dog sled outside into the frozen tundra,,,,,,, and we hit 64. 8 speed, again, damn, those dogs are fast!
This was the Iditarod of Disney!
Man, you go that fast on top of a building and you know what? I think you just might feel a wee bit cold. But the entire planet is still at stake.
Luckily, there was a cast member right at the disembark platform and I told her that the audio cut out right after the ride started, pointing at my ears as I said this just in case she didn't know what parts of the anatomy controls your hearing.
Then she told us if we wanted to go around again to climb these stairs and follow the path back around, tell the CM at the end I sent you.
As Smidgy and I are now backstage doing all we can to save the fate of the planet suddenly the guy with the two kids came running back up to join us again.
I looked at him and he just said, "Hey, I dunno, listening to you it seemed like we might get another quick ride out of this so we followed you. "
They did not even know there was audio they were supposed to hear, it was there first time.
"Great, bring the kids, oh, you already have."
Normally I would have encouraged them to come with us, but this group had that really dreadful attitude, the "Disney Owes Me" attitude, you know, because of how expensive a trip there is.
We came down the stairs way over on the right side of the boarding station, another woman there sized us all up and understood, never had to say anything. We waited about 5 more minutes, then she signaled us and we went over to a car.
Right before we got in Diane told the ingrates , (yes, I was practicing my attitude toward people I didn't like or didn'[t know even before I quit smoking,,,, just to get ready) they can sit in the front seat this time so we switched places this go around.
This time all worked just fine, Smidgy and I were in perfect two part harmony again on the "Sure am," and once again all was right with the world.
On exitting I overheard Dad tell his two sons, "Pretty cool huh? How your Dad got you two rides in a row on Test Track."?
Incredible.
I wanted to hit him.
And this is before I quit smoking!
oh, did I mention that?
As they started to run to the exit, I yelled out,,,,]
"YOU"RE WELCOME!"
The guy paused for a second, turned half way around and said, "Yeah, thanks."
Ok, wasn't much, but at least still something.
Maybe the universe was worth saving after all.
Back outside, it was cold. We headed over to the Mexico pavillion by way of the old Odyssey Center, and no, not the scenic way to go, but the shorter, and therefore, warmer, way to get there.
I went into my archives on Photobucket and found this picture from December of 07.
THis is called "The Lights of Winter" and was between the big fountain and Showcase Plaza. It has been discontinued, however, all gone, Disney's reason why is somewhat vague, however, "The technology is too outdated for this display."
What does that mean?
THey can only now use electricity that's been filtered through Steve Jobs? Anyway,,,,,,,,,
Here's what we didn't see this trip:
In Mexico we rode the Small Mecican World just to kill some time before Illuminations started, ain't no way, nope, nope nope that I'm staking out a spot for the fireworks show.
We ended up one deep from a railing in Showcase Plaza, and I encouraged everybody to move in all around us. (ok, me) Showcase Plaza is the best spot to to watch from because you can see all the Nations light up,,,,and right now I'm rooting for more than just lighting up,,,,starting fires sounds like a good idea,,,,, I was all for "global warming" around the lagoon.
I have to admit, the show was just great.
Goosebumps.
Cold chills down the back like I needed them.
The hairs on my arms stood up.
All three of them.
Hairs, not arms.
Oh, this is getting so laborious, having to explain things.
Ok, sorry, did I just try to use "laborious" as a word?
Ok, um, is it a word?
And even more importantly, does any body care if it's a word?
And tears formed during the "We go on " segment.
Then the "Holiday Tag" they add onto the end just blew me and everybody else braving the cold away.
Even though it was an EMH night,,,,,,it couldn't change the fact we were freezing. We stopped for a smoke by the fountainss,,,,,,,really got lucky too, they were just starting up,,,,,,,,,
see pictures below,,,,,,
duh
And then to make sure we really took advantage of Extra Magic Hours,,,,,, we rode Spaceship Earth just before we exited.
At least no really bad lines at the bus stop.
And no bad accidents this night from Epcot, either.
It does get easier.
And yes, I would so do that.
