peajay18
Diamond In The Rough
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2007
- Messages
- 393
Pre Trip and Day 1, Part 1 can be found here.
Still Day 1 - Tues Sept 29th
After a brief nap to help recover from the jet lag, we headed over to Epcot by bus at 6.15.
(It was fun watching the queue at Pop for the MK bus as it was full of people in costume on their way to MNSSHP)
We arrived at Epcot and immediately picked up a FP for Test Track before heading over to World Showcase for the main reason for visiting this evening - Food & Wine!
We purchased a F&W gift card with the wrist strap and loaded it with $30, figuring that it would be enough for tonight at least.
Then we caught the last boat of the day across the lagoon from Mexico to Germany - something we had never done and a nice way to travel.
Our first F&W booth was Melbourne where we each had the grilled lamb chop in red wine sauce. One was handed over straight away but we were informed that it was the last one in this batch and we'd have to wait for the other one to be cooked from scratch.
I did the honourable thing and let Kathryn have it whilst I waited 5mins for mine. Apart from the usual problem of nowhere to eat it (try cutting a chop/steak etc balanced on your lap!), it was very nice indeed.
It's making me hungry just looking at this pic.
Next up we made our way over to China, past the Cape Town booth where we had a portion of beef tenderloin with sweet potato between us.
We queued for a while here as someone in front of us in the line had problems with the dining plan, and when we did get our beef it was a very, very small portion and the sweet potato wasn't very nice at all. Disappointing.
The China pavilion at night. That thing in the bottom left is a puppet.
We stopped at the Shanghai booth and shared a portion of Chicken Ürümqi. It was delicious.
Next up we ducked into the Mexico pavilion for a quick look at the new tequila bar (packed) and a ride of the Gran Fiesta Tour. This ride was the busiest I've ever seen it - still a walk on, but each boat was going out full.
The old couple in front of us ignored the CM who assigned them a row and then proceed to take flash photos all the way through the ride!
I know GFT isn't the greatest attraction in the world, but it was bound to be someone's first experience and they don't need it spoiling by your flash, thanks!
Then it was over to Test Track to use our FPs. In the pre-show room, a chap who looked exactly like Kenny Powers from Eastbound & Down and his friend chanted along with the pre-show video. Now I get that some people are die-hard Disney fans (heck, I'm one) but keep it in check! Again, it ruins it for someone else if they can't hear the vid over your voice.
As the doors opened to let us into the loading area, I grabbed K and suggested that we hang back so we didn't end up riding with them.
But as we boarded there was a call for a party of 2 and wouldn't you know, we ended up riding with them anyway.
So, with Kenny and his redneck friend a-whooping and a-hollering throughout the ride we raced around TT. It's one of my favorites simply because there is nothing else like it (until Cars Land opens, at least).
For the first time I noticed that not all the TT cars are yellow - a few are red and even blue. We've only ever ridden in yellow. I'm sure there's no difference, but it was to be yellow cars for the rest of our trip.
Spaceship Earth looks great at night.
By now it's about half nine (we skipped watching Illuminations) and the so we saunter through Mousegear to let the crowds make their way out.
We made a point to pick up a new Test Track aerial topper as you can't get them outside of Epcot, I believe.
And then it's off to the bus stop (Epcot is the only park where I felt that the Pop bus stop was a very long walk away) Standing room only on the bus but at least we can hear the range of "classic" tunes they play to illustrate the Pop Century resort. This leads to much discussion as to whether the Village People are British or American - turns out I'm right.
Yours truly ready to head "home" after a long day.
Coming up next - Studios by night and day, and dinner at the Beach Club.
Still Day 1 - Tues Sept 29th
After a brief nap to help recover from the jet lag, we headed over to Epcot by bus at 6.15.
(It was fun watching the queue at Pop for the MK bus as it was full of people in costume on their way to MNSSHP)
We arrived at Epcot and immediately picked up a FP for Test Track before heading over to World Showcase for the main reason for visiting this evening - Food & Wine!
We purchased a F&W gift card with the wrist strap and loaded it with $30, figuring that it would be enough for tonight at least.
Then we caught the last boat of the day across the lagoon from Mexico to Germany - something we had never done and a nice way to travel.
Our first F&W booth was Melbourne where we each had the grilled lamb chop in red wine sauce. One was handed over straight away but we were informed that it was the last one in this batch and we'd have to wait for the other one to be cooked from scratch.
I did the honourable thing and let Kathryn have it whilst I waited 5mins for mine. Apart from the usual problem of nowhere to eat it (try cutting a chop/steak etc balanced on your lap!), it was very nice indeed.
It's making me hungry just looking at this pic.
Next up we made our way over to China, past the Cape Town booth where we had a portion of beef tenderloin with sweet potato between us.
We queued for a while here as someone in front of us in the line had problems with the dining plan, and when we did get our beef it was a very, very small portion and the sweet potato wasn't very nice at all. Disappointing.
The China pavilion at night. That thing in the bottom left is a puppet.
We stopped at the Shanghai booth and shared a portion of Chicken Ürümqi. It was delicious.
Next up we ducked into the Mexico pavilion for a quick look at the new tequila bar (packed) and a ride of the Gran Fiesta Tour. This ride was the busiest I've ever seen it - still a walk on, but each boat was going out full.
The old couple in front of us ignored the CM who assigned them a row and then proceed to take flash photos all the way through the ride!
I know GFT isn't the greatest attraction in the world, but it was bound to be someone's first experience and they don't need it spoiling by your flash, thanks!
Then it was over to Test Track to use our FPs. In the pre-show room, a chap who looked exactly like Kenny Powers from Eastbound & Down and his friend chanted along with the pre-show video. Now I get that some people are die-hard Disney fans (heck, I'm one) but keep it in check! Again, it ruins it for someone else if they can't hear the vid over your voice.
As the doors opened to let us into the loading area, I grabbed K and suggested that we hang back so we didn't end up riding with them.
But as we boarded there was a call for a party of 2 and wouldn't you know, we ended up riding with them anyway.
So, with Kenny and his redneck friend a-whooping and a-hollering throughout the ride we raced around TT. It's one of my favorites simply because there is nothing else like it (until Cars Land opens, at least).
For the first time I noticed that not all the TT cars are yellow - a few are red and even blue. We've only ever ridden in yellow. I'm sure there's no difference, but it was to be yellow cars for the rest of our trip.
Spaceship Earth looks great at night.
By now it's about half nine (we skipped watching Illuminations) and the so we saunter through Mousegear to let the crowds make their way out.
We made a point to pick up a new Test Track aerial topper as you can't get them outside of Epcot, I believe.
And then it's off to the bus stop (Epcot is the only park where I felt that the Pop bus stop was a very long walk away) Standing room only on the bus but at least we can hear the range of "classic" tunes they play to illustrate the Pop Century resort. This leads to much discussion as to whether the Village People are British or American - turns out I'm right.
Yours truly ready to head "home" after a long day.
Coming up next - Studios by night and day, and dinner at the Beach Club.
