Monday, Sept 17th - Epcot
Today DD decided that she didn't want to stand up for today's morning photo...so we got her lying down on the chair...she thought this was really funny! Time to wear the Mickey shirts!
We wake up at 7:23am, get breakfast and gear ready and hit the International Gateway (IG) entrance just after 9am...not bad for us at all. I grab all 4 of our tickets and head to the FP machine for Soarin. Now if you know anything about the location of IG and Soarin, this is basically on opposite ends of the park. So I volunteer to huff it over to Soarin, get the FP and agree to meet everyone at the new Nemo and Friends. This would be our first time to see "The Living Seas" since the name change.
On the way, I tell DH to snap a few pictures of UK, Canada since this part of the park is closed and there are no people around.
I love this fountain, esp at night with the coordinated music. However, this day shot got really good.
Instead of just snapping a few pictures, he decides to 'set up camp' and takes a bunch of photos. As I come out of Soarin' I see my parents and DD, I ask, "where is DH?" "Oh, he doesn't want to ride Soarin', he rather take pics instead and will meet up with you later."
So, within 10 minutes of entering Epcot, our family of 5 is already separated. OK, well, I figure I'll just go on to Nemo with my parents. "Nope!" They say that Nemo won't be busy later on so they want to ride Soarin' now and Test Track.
Ok, within 12 minutes, it's down to just my DD and I. Fine...we'll go meet the characters then. However, I go through the doors and it's a long, queued up line. Grrr -- it's only 9:15am!!
So then I call DH to find out where he is and when we can meet up. I guess he heard the anger in my voice and said he would meet up with me. We go to Mission Space since I know my parents won't go on this (at least the spinning version). I ride this first and have a blast (literally!) I really enjoy the spinning version and scream with delight every time! Then DH and I babyswap so I ask a CM when does Space Mickey come out! Right?? Nope

They no longer do this....
Here is the one from '05.
OK, so DD and I go to the gift shop to continue our crazy hat tradition. I get such a kick out of this...DD, well, not so much...look at that lip!!
But she fell in love with this toy...we got her a similar one with Mickey Ears later in the trip
Off to Soarin' to use our FPs...when we meet up with my parents -- look what they got on Test Track!
So DH, DD and my mom ride Living with the Land (or Mickey Boat as my DD says about all boats), while my dad and I ride Soarin (3rd row -- boo! I've yet to get front row). Then we trade out (& they get front row).
DD loves Mickey boats so she is happy.
So we head on over to Nemo then and of course the line is just inside the door and you know how many queues that is...however, the line goes quickly. DD

this ride and the seagulls and water splashing out front. We keep telling her to Find Nemo and she does, although she keeps making cat noises... Here are some great shots.
"Mine, Mine, Mine"
And a good father-daughter shot
So as we start walking over to France for our lunch, we ask DD if she liked Nemo and she replies again, "Me-ow, Me-ow" Finally it dawns on us what she had been saying through the whole ride, Meow = Nemo. If you say both words with the same inflection, they sound 'similar'. So we try to correct her, no, not Meow, Nemo, but that just makes her giggle and want to say Meow even more!
Hey, whatever keeps her happy. We're hot, tired and running late for our Lunch at Chefs de France. We get a table in the main dining room with a terrific waiter...however, he is visibly confused by our shirts. Remember all 5 of us are wearing the blue tie dye shirts...he asks us like 3 times why. The first time I just said I made them for fun. The 2nd time I said, so we could see each other in the park and the 3rd time I said, it's a safety issue for my DD so we can stay together. Then he says, "oh, I thought we were part of "LOVE DAY"

. Of course my parents don't understand and my DH is practically dying from laughter. What makes it funnier, is I look at how we are seated and DH and my Dad are next to each other and my mom and I are on the other side.

"No, DH says, DEFINITELY not Love Day!"
We order the cheese plate, lobster bisque, salmon, Angus Burger and a variety of desserts -- crepes, sorbet, pastry. This meal was fabulous and I highly recommend it. It was really nice to have a luxurious meal in the middle of the day!
DD falls asleep within minutes of leaving the restaurant. My parents decide to stay longer in the park but it is too hot and we are tired so DH and I go back and crash as well. When we get back I realize I lost a green Mickey Head that was on our stroller -- oh well, good I made 4 of them.
DD wakes up at 5pm so we decide to do Storm Along Bay -- OMG!!! This is just an awesome 2 acre sandy-bottom water park. The huge boat slide is fast and fun, there is a lazy river section with up to 8' of water and a wonderful childrens section that looks like a mini-island surrounding by all the water.
One Quick Service meal we shared at UK Fish and Chips which was good but not a lot of food
and then over to Tangierene Cafe for another shared Quick Service Meal. Let me tell you this is definitely a hidden gem. Lots of food and good. This counter service meal alone was $20 for one person -- a great deal when on the plan. Sorry, the pic doesn't look better but we forgot to take a picture before we dug in. It's supposed to be lamb, chicken, cous cous, hummus, tabouleh, baklava, bread, yogurt sauce and drink.
A quick stroll around Morocco where DH takes pic of the moon, Mars and Venus with the Morocco building ...this was eerily cool.
We take another Mickey Boat back to our hotel and I decide to use our first snack credit and get a non-alcohol strawberry daiquiri. DD likes this too and we sip together -- she thought it was fun to hold the straw for mama, too.
Tomorrow we go to Sea World. What happens?
a) no one is in the park -- we have it to ourselves
b) DH and I become THAT couple
c) Shamu? Where?
d) Fauna Croc is missing
e) A sleeping child moved into a bed = WAKE UP!!
f) All of the above
