Kaycee’s Christmas Report – Day 5 – Epcot and Candlelight Processional

Kaycee

Magic is everywhere if you know where to look
Joined
Mar 3, 2001
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Monday, December 20, 2004

We got to Epcot around 9:30 this morning. It was really cold! We got fastpasses first thing for Mission:Space then headed to Universe of Energy. This is a fairly long attraction, so I was hoping that by the time we came out it would be warmer. No such luck…the sun was shining, but it was still cold. We headed to Mission:Space to use our fastpasses. We rode with a woman and her teenage son. It was their first time on the ride and they looked a little apprehensive, which made me nervous, but once again we lucked out and no one got sick.

Since it was so cold, we stopped by Fountainview Café to have coffee and a light breakfast. This place was completely packed, probably because everyone else was freezing too and wanted coffee to warm up.

After breakfast, we walked over to The Land to ride Living with the Land. There was a 30 minute wait so we got fastpasses and went to the Living Seas instead. I really wish you could just walk into this attraction without going through the line and the preshow. Why is there a preshow when there isn’t a show? It’s a walk-through attraction, so why can’t you just walk through? Anyway, I love watching Lou and Boc, the manatees, so I’ll deal with waiting in line if that’s what I have to do. Have I mentioned that I hate waiting in line?

We decided we’d seen everything in Future World we wanted to see, so we headed to World Showcase. We were just in time to catch Off Kilter’s first show of the day – woo hoo! I wasn’t going to stop because I thought Helen wasn’t interested, but when I kept walking she stopped me and asked if we could stay and listen. Okay, twist my arm. After the guys finished playing, we walked to France to get some lunch at Boulangerie Patisserie. This is one of my favorite places to have lunch at Epcot. The food is just so good! After lunch, we checked to see if Impressions de France was playing, and we were just in time to catch the next showing. The CM who introduced the movie was absolutely adorable, and a real charmer too! I love this movie, both for the scenery and the gorgeous music.

We had some time before we needed to line up for the Candlelight Processional, so we strolled around World Showcase to see the countries we had not been to yet. Our first stop was America to hear the Voices of Liberty (they were very good) and then watch The American Adventure. We continued on around World Showcase, stopping in Mexico to ride El Rio del Tiempo. I know it’s cheesy, but I like this ride.

It was 4:30, so we walked to the America Gardens Theatre to line up for the 5:00 Candlelight Processional. When I saw the lines, I was so glad we got the dinner package. We waited in line for about 15 minutes, then we were allowed to go in and be seated. It was so cold, those metal benches were very uncomfortable. I forgot all about the cold when the show started though. This is a breathtaking show, and I loved every minute of it. I had seen CP in 2002 with Gary Sinise as the narrator, and he did such a good job I was afraid that I’d be disappointed with a different narrator. Well, I was wrong! Our narrator was Edward James Olmos, and he was perfect. He read with just the right amount of emotion – with feeling but not gushy. I would love to see him narrate CP again someday.

After CP, Helen suggested that we go and catch the last Off Kilter set of the evening before dinner. Okay, twist my arm again.

Our dinner that night was at Biergarten. I chose this restaurant for our dinner package because it sounded like a lot of fun. I was right; this place really is fun! As a vegetarian, I wasn’t expecting much from the food, but I was pleasantly surprised. There were plenty of yummy dishes for a vegetarian to enjoy on the buffet. We were seated with a wonderful gentleman from Las Vegas (Hi Mr. Hoy!), his daughter Heidi, and Heidi’s husband and daughter. Mr. Hoy and I had a great conversation during dinner. There was a young couple seated on the other side of us, but they seemed to want to keep to themselves, which was fine. That’s what I liked so much about this restaurant. I had worried that it would be awkward being seated with strangers, but I found that you could interact with the others at your table as much or as little as you want. We had a lot of fun with the family on one side of us, but we didn’t talk with the couple on the other side of us at all. And it was fine both ways.

After dinner, we decided it was too cold to stay for Illuminations. We were glad that we’d seen it the night before so we didn’t feel bad missing it this night. We walked back to the Swan (quickly, because it was so cold!) and relaxed in the room until bedtime.
 
I want to read about day six. I want to read about day six. I'm going to hold my breath until I see day six.

Karen
 
LOL, Karen, now why would you want to read Day 6? I'm sure it's not because that's the day I visited Jellyrolls for the first time. ;)

I'd write it right now, but I have to go to work to make some money for our (hopefully) May excursion. :D
 
OK, since you have a good excuse, I'll let you go to work. I'm stopping holding my breath, though.

Karen
 

I'd love to go to WDW during the Christmas festivities sometime. After the trips this year, I may make that my goal. I was looking forward to showing The Land to my uncle as he's a farmer in Bourbon Co., but it'll be closed when we're there. ) - :
 
Kaycee said:
After dinner, we decided it was too cold to stay for Illuminations. We were glad that we’d seen it the night before so we didn’t feel bad missing it this night. We walked back to the Swan (quickly, because it was so cold!) and relaxed in the room until bedtime.

We went to the MK this day. I didn't believe how cold they said it was going to be. How cold can it be in Florida? Even though I knew better, I only wore jeans, t-shirt, and a thin anorak. All day I wished I wore my winter coat, and almost went back to the room for it. It was nasty whipping around on BTMRR. Much better to stay inside on Space Mountain! It never made it up to 50°F!
 















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