NvrBn HAS BEEN!!! Episode 7: E.P.C.O.T. stands for Everyone Comes Out in Tears

NvrBnToWDW

Mouseketeer
Joined
Sep 8, 2004
Messages
284
This was our first trip to Walt Disney World (it was also our first baby rescue)

The cast:
Me27-NvrBnToWDW
DH29-Babe
DS11-Sci-fi Guy
DS9-Loudboy

Today is Epcot Day. I let everyone sleep til 8 am today, then we get up and have breakfast in the food court. The kids have Mickey Waffles and Babe and I share a Pop waffle with bacon. We're at the bus by 9 and on our way! We arrive at Epcot and there aren't any lines at the gates cause everyone is already in the park. So we stop to get our photo taken in front of the big ball and then I whisk everyone away to ride Spaceship Earth. Of course, Babe asks, "Is this a simulation?" "No, Babe." I say. We ride it and no one is too thrilled with the ride. Okay, time for a real ride...Test Track. We get a fastpass then take a picture with Space Goofy. We check out some souvenir shops and then go to the butterfly garden. I have never seen so many Monarchs in one place! Sci-fi is an avid bug collector and loved it! There was a very naughty boy opening the net door and letting many of them fly out. An elder CM quickly put a stop to that. After that it was time to ride Test Track. On the way, Sci-fi informs me that he's queasy and doesn't think he wants to ride. Babe says he'll stay with him, but I know Babe wanted to ride. We decide that Loudboy and I will ride now and later we'll all ride together when he feels better. We'll be here all day anyway, or so I thought. Loudboy and I get on and his knees are shaking. We sit in the front seat and when we busted through that wall we whooped and hollered so loud. It was definitely our kind of ride. As soon as we got off, we both said, "Babe & Sci-fi have got to ride this!" We catch up with the guys and Sci-fi says he's hot so I figure it's a good time for Innoventions. They spend plenty of time fiddling with the computers and games while I patiently wait and count the dollars we're wasting in here. When they're done, we head over to Ice Station Cool where my evil plan awaits. I tell them to get a cup and sample all the cool, neat sodas from different countries. Loudboy, who never tries anything new, knew better. Sci-fi starts with the veggie drink and really liked it, so I tried it and it was really good. Babe tries the lemon or lime one and says it tastes like ginger-ale. C'mon Babe, try another. Yes! He's going for it! He fills his cup half-full of the Beverly and gulps down a huge swallow! He about died. He swallows hard and gags. I'm laughing so hard you'd think I was Brer Rabbit laughing at Brer Fox! "WHAT! YOU KNEW!" "That's not funny! That was the worst thing I've ever tasted! That was disgusting!" Laughing, I replied, "I'm sorry, I didn't know you'd drink that much. HA, HA!" Now you know, I'm a bad mother and a bad wife. Babe is actually trying to scrape the surface of his tongue to get the taste off. He insists that I taste it, so I let the tiniest bit touch my tongue and overactingly grimace at the taste. He's pleased. Okay, let's move on. We check out some more Innoventions and then head out to Imagination. We ride Figment and I think it spoiled the park for them. They hated it. They compared it to a Barney show. Well, now I have to redeem myself, so off to Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. Before Babe could ask, I explained that it was like Muppets 3D. We get in and stand in front of the doors watching the very long Kodak commercials and show intro. We get into the theater and I sit between Babe and Sci-fi Guy. I know what's going to happen, so I hide my camera. The effects were amazing and when the mice scurried around the room I screamed so loud! Babe was yelling along with me. Then I hear, "What's happening?" from Loudboy. I look at the boys and they are sitting with their legs up on the chairs and missed the effect. "You can't do that!" I yell, "That's cheating!". They still got scared from some of the other surprises.
Now it's time for Soarin'. I've been hearing so much about this ride I can't wait. But we'll have to. The wait is too long, so we get a fastpass. Everyone is hungry, so we go downstairs to Sunshine Season, but they don't like anything on the menu. Babe asks, "What else is there to eat here?" I name a couple of restaurants in World Showcase and he and Sci-fi want Mexican, but Loudboy doesn't like that, so I suggest we get him McNuggets at the Refreshment Port. We grab his food first and are torchered with the wonderful smell, then walk to Mexico. We get to Cantina de San Angel and order a kid's meal burrito and Babe & I order the Mexican salads. They were so awful! We are Mexican and I have never tasted anything so bad. The black beans were disgusting, so I picked at the chicken only and shared some of Sci-fi's chips. I wish I had gotten McNuggets too. I show them where the fireworks will go off tonight during IllumiNations and can't wait!
We're going back to Showcase Plaza and see all the characters arriving on their bus, so we get in line for a photo with Minnie. While we're waiting there's a couple with a 18 month old little boy behind us. Next thing we know, the mother's yelling and we see the baby running on the other side of the fence towards the lagoon! They call his name, the baby stops and then gives that mischievous smile like he's going to take off again. The dad gets one leg over the fence and is struggling, but then he pulls the leg back on our side and starts running down the length of the fence. I don't see any opening for him to get through. Just then the baby takes off again and is running straight for the water, so Babe leaps over the fence and runs and grabs the baby. He brings him back to the mother and she's just about crying. I feel so bad for the father, he should have been the hero, but I'm very proud of Babe. She repeatedly says "Thank You!" then tells her husband she's not talking to him. He explains that his foot got caught between the bars in the fence and that's why he couldn't get his leg over. I ask her how the baby got on the other side and she said he slipped through the bars. I think Babe felt quite good about himself right then. C'mon Babe, time to pose with Minnie!
It's time for Soarin' and once again Sci-fi is queasy. I'm thinking it's just nerves before the ride and ask him if he wants to ride anyway. He's not sure. Babe asks his most famous question, and this time the answer is "Yes, it's a simulation ride, sort of," I say. "Well, I'm not riding." he says. "Guys, just walk through with us and decide then, you might change your mind." Babe doesn't look to happy and Sci-fi is feeling queasy, and is still not sure about riding. I have a feeling that Sci-fi Guy will regret not riding and so I try to talk him into it. He says he'll ride if Babe rides. I tell this to Babe and now he's upset because he's being put on the spot. He tells Sci-fi that he doesn't have to ride and don't let anyone bully him into riding. I couldn't believe it! I wasn't trying to "bully" anyone, I just didn't want anyone to miss something fantastic and regret it. Now, my feelings are hurt because of what Babe said. How could he think of me that way? We get into the room and are told to sit down and buckle up, well then Babe asks the CM where the exit was. He tells me, "I'm not riding this." Then Sci-fi gets scared, if Dad's not riding then neither am I. He follows Babe and it's just me and Loudboy. We rode it and the view was fantastic. I finally felt a simulated ride and it was just so peaceful.
We got off the ride and found the guys and Babe's very quiet. Sci-Fi Guy says, he feels weird and starts to cry. Sci-fi never cries. "What's wrong?" I ask. "I wanted to ride Soarin." he says. "Well, why didn't you ride?" "I feel sick. I don't know what's wrong." He's crying which makes me want to cry and then all of a sudden his nose starts bleeding. It was running like a faucet and he felt like fainting. "He's dehydrated!" I say, "Get him some water, quick!" Babe reminds me that we have Gatorade powder in the backpack and we quickly make him some and he gulps it down. I start apologizing, "I'm sorry, I thought ya'll could keep going all day and I should have known better." I keep apologizing because I sincerely felt it was all my fault. But Babe took it as me being condescending that they couldn't tough it out. He snaps at me and then I begin crying. We were in the middle of the park and I'm standing there wiping tears out of my eyes as soon as they are formed and am thinking to myself, "I'm crying at the Happiest Place on Earth." We have all lost our minds! Neither I nor Sci-fi are criers and he're we are crying and Babe never snaps at me and he just did. We had all just stretched ourselves too thin and are having a major meltdown. I suck it up and say, "Let's go home and rest, we don't have to go anywhere else today. We don't have to see World Showcase. We don't have to come back and see IllumiNations. We'll just call it a day."
So we took the long journey out of the park and back to our hotel. We all took a long, much needed nap. All except Loudboy, he quietly played and watched TV. Wow, did I just use Loudboy and quiet in the same sentence? We got up later and swam and had a late dinner and just chilled. Babe said he was very sorry for snapping at me. And I resolved to lay off of the planning and just go with the flow.

TO BE CONTINUED......

Episode 8 coming soon!
 
Well, bless your heart. This sounds like you had a not too good day. My kids first memory of Epcot was exactly like this ,except it was 32 degrees and spitting snow--we nearly had frostbite and all of us had ear aches. The cure? Go back to the hotel, order a pizza, and watch Disney movies. Ahhhhh...Hope your trip got better after this.
 
Ohhh!! I hope today is a better day for you all!!!! I'm not sure how many days in you are, but no matter where our vacations are, the first day or two always seem to be like that. (well, maybe not always THAT bad! lol) But the stress is definately at its peak. Maybe just high expectations? I think that you had a great idea to just go back to the hotel and chill. Here's hoping to happier days!!!!!
 
I hope everyone is feeling a little less stressed today! That is one problem people forget about while being park commandos -- dehydration and exhaustion. We forget how big these parks really are, how much walking and standing there is during the day, and when you add the 90 + heat and sun, well, that is a dangerous combination.

We used to go to the parks from morning til night, but now we have learned that we have a much more enjoyable and relaxing vacation when we return to our resort in the mid day to swim and rest.

Hopefully everyone is feeling relaxed and refreshed now and ready for another Disney day! :flower:
 

Oh, I just wanted to cry along with you. All that planning, you just can't plan for a child wearing out. And as a mom, you must have felt so helpless.
Hopefully the rest time at the hotel was enough to re-energize your son, and revitalize you.
I can't wait to read more of your report, your family reminds me so much of mine, I feel like I am right there with you.
 
I really have been enjoying your report. They have been some of the most helpful I have read so far.

Just 5 days til we POP! :earboy2:
 
I have read all your trip reports...find them very well written and entertaining. But sadly I saw this one comming. It can not be stressed enough that time needs to be build into the schedule to relax on a Disney Vacation. One day in the parks is 15-20 miles of walking. Do four days in a row we are talking 80 miles of wear and tear.
Commandos need to be with other commandos or it leads to resentment and tears. I too have learned this the hard way. I will never try to spend three consecutive days in the parks again. 2 on. 1 off. 2 on. is my pattern.

When letting the boys "sleep in" to 8 oclock your trying to do too much. If you would have pushed 8 to 11 and taken a morning swim your day at epcot would not have ended as it did.
 
Zip-a-dee-dude-da said:
I have read all your trip reports...find them very well written and entertaining. But sadly I saw this one comming. It can not be stressed enough that time needs to be build into the schedule to relax on a Disney Vacation. One day in the parks is 15-20 miles of walking. Do four days in a row we are talking 80 miles of wear and tear.
Commandos need to be with other commandos or it leads to resentment and tears. I too have learned this the hard way. I will never try to spend three consecutive days in the parks again. 2 on. 1 off. 2 on. is my pattern.

When letting the boys "sleep in" to 8 oclock your trying to do too much. If you would have pushed 8 to 11 and taken a morning swim your day at epcot would not have ended as it did.

Yes, I have learned a lot from this first trip. We are planning to do exactly what you suggest next year. We are not going to a park on the day of arrival, just relax by the pool. And we are going to have a non-park day in the middle of the week to visit Downtown Disney and just relax. After this day, I let them tell me where they wanted to go and when they wanted to quit and as you will see in the next episode it turns out just fine. Thanks for the input! :flower:
 
Thanks for the great trip reports, I've read them all and they are a nice read.
 
Don't stop now! I want Episode 8! Puhleeze!!

Loving your reports!
 
We were in the middle of the park and I'm standing there wiping tears out of my eyes as soon as they are formed and am thinking to myself, "I'm crying at the Happiest Place on Earth." We have all lost our minds!

Been there, done that. Don't feel bad! It happens. In my house, it seems like it's not a vacation until someone cries. With us, it's not just the hectic pace, but also all that family togetherness. We're not used to spending 24 hours a day together! But, we look back now and laugh at ourselves, so there's no regrets. It's all a part of life.
 
Oh boy can I relate!
I remember the park and where we were when I had my couples' meltdown at WDW.....

The park:MGM right in front of the great movie ride....I remember doing the ride with tears rolling my face. Everytime I do that ride, me and DH smile at each other....We have learned our lesson.

Taking a break mid-trip is a must....

Can't wait to read the rest, your trip report is very entertaining, your family resembles mine so much. My Dh & DD HATE simulators. I tell them to just close their eyes the whole way through. At least we are all together!
 
Sorry to hear about your melt down day. I've been playing with our itinerary (we leave in just 39 days!!) and am taking this as confirmation that I've done right by building rest times into each day. If DH had his way, we'd go from morning to night in the park every day! But he's learned that DS and myself MUST have a break or else... well let's just say the happiest place on earth isn't quite so happy!! Hope the rest of your trip gets better.
 
We built in "down time" to each day, drank plenty in the lines, stopped at every restroom....but nothing can stop you getting sick if you catch some bug! I was sick for our CP breakfast (thats a lot of dollars for a glass of iced water and 2 bananas that don't hang around :rolleyes1 ), DS(5) was sick the day of our FDP so he and I missed that, and DH was sick the day after we went to Kennedy and we didn't get going till midday.

You can't dwell on it, just have to work around it as best you can. :wave2:
 
So sorry about your bad day. We have had park days like that. Only instead of tears, I usually get to mad to cry. On to the next one.
 
Oh, I feel so much for you! What a day..... I hope the rest of the trip was great for you, and I look forward to reading it.
 




New Posts









Receive up to $1,000 in Onboard Credit and a Gift Basket!
That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE













DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest DIS Tiktok DIS Twitter DIS Bluesky

Back
Top