WDW Poly Princess
Needs a Disney Fix
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- Jul 17, 2000
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Part 7- A whole lotta Epcot or Day 2 at last!
Concerning Our Cast:
Crystal (WDW Poly Princess)- Turning 23 on this trip, my 5th trip to WDW, 3rd solo trip.
Kiki- Friend from Orlando who makes a cameo appearance as our superhero, Airport Transport Girl.
Katie- Twenty-something friend who lives just outside of Orlando. We met on an online horse message board about ten years ago, and have been in touch ever since.
JP- Katies brother, who Ive talked to online for years, but have never met until now.
~*~*~*~
"All travelers face the problem of selecting their personal set of destinations and activities from a planet-sized menu"- from "The World Awaits- How to travel far and well"
I am a big dork. For some reason, I didnt take any notes about what happened today, so Im relying on my eighty zillion pictures from the day to get me through!
Today it the day for the Hidden Treasures of the World Showcase tour! Ive done two WDW tours before (Keys to the Kingdom and Backstage Safari), and Id eventually love to do them all, but two per trip seems like enough to me, so this trip its this one and Wild By Design at AK later this week.
We were told to meet up for the tour outside Guest Relations at Epcot, which is apparently where all of the tours meet, because the Yuletide Fantasy people as well as two other tours (Which I cant remember at all right now) were there, too. I was on the 9am tour for HT (Typing out Hidden blah blah takes way too long), so we ended up going in the park just a minute before the rest of the crowd.
We started the tour by going to the area near Fountainview Cafe in with a bunch of giant black and white photos detailing the history of Walt and WDW. Im sure that whatever was discussed in here was fascinating, but I was way too anxious to get into the WS to really take any of it in! After about ten minutes or so here, we set off for Canada. Since the WS didnt open for another hour or so, we got to enjoy the lack of crowds, but it didnt click in my head that no crowds = good photo opportunities until somewhere in France, so sorry for the lack of Canada and UK photos! In Canada, we walked all the way to the back, where I had actually never been before, to look at the mountains. After getting a good idea of what they looked like from the front, we slipped through a door that led backstage, and got to see them from behind! I dont want to spoil it for those who like to keep the magic in tact, so Ill just say that it wasnt at all what I expected!
In the UK, we stopped to look at the herb garden outside the tea shop, and the tour guide (I feel so awful for forgetting her name! I can tell you, however, that she was a photographer that teaches at the Disney Institute, and has a degree in psychology. Im so good with remembering *stuff* about people, but awful about their names!) showed us how you can squeeze the leaf of an herb to really get the smell of it. (Keep this herb garden in mind for later in the trip, by the way!) I really wish I could remember more of what we learned about the UK pavilion, since its one of my favorite countries, but I guess this is what I get for not taking notes!
In France, I finally got to see the artists easel with the painting near the water, and also finally figured out that taking photos with no crowds is fun, and thus I present this crooked, off-center photo of France. Lets just call my photography technique here artsy, shall we?
In Morocco, the unintended star of the show was this squirrel, who was perched atop the Tangerine Café sign (Kind of hard to see, I know, but if you squint, you can see his tail sticking out over the top of the sign, and make the rest of him out from there). The thing is, this sign is suspended from the side of the building, so we couldnt figure out how he got up there! Apparently, neither could he, because he seemed to be searching for a way off! Finally, after a few trapeze artist-like maneuvers that kept us all enthralled with him, he climbed down the side of the building, spiderman style!
We were in Morocco when they background music and sounds for WS were finally turned on, which made me realize what a difference those things make! The whole area felt weird enough with no crowds, but the lack of music made it feel so incomplete! I guess that half of what makes WS so great is the whole big hodgepodge of sounds and people and performers and music that you dont appreciate until theyre gone!
Germany was up next, and as we were stopped outside a store, I noticed this stein in the window- thats a model of Neuschwanstien in there- the castle the Walt modeled Cinderellas castle after!
Since I really cant remember much of what went on, I think Im just going to post photos with a few notes in between for most of the rest of the tour.
China:
We learned the differences between Chinese and Japanese water gardens. I love this picture, with the CM working and the reflections of the buildings on the water.
The Temple of Heaven. Is it just me, or is the temple kind of crooked?
For comparison, heres a link to a photo of the real Temple of Heaven in China.
The ceiling inside the Temple. Despite all my trips to Epcot, this was my first time to go inside! You can see the Imperial Dragon, as well as phoenixes on the ceiling.
I love how this photo turned out all silhouetted. Taken from inside the Temple looking towards the door- thats one of the Chinese CMs in the middle.
Our tour group listening as the guide told us about the temple. If you stand in the middle and talk, you can feel the vibrations of your voice come back to you.
I dont have any photos of Norway for this part, but I really liked the Stave Church. Id been in before, but never really understood the history. The church is kind of a mix of the old Viking pagan influences (thus all the animal carvings in the design), and the new Christianity. Since my own beliefs are mostly Christian with certain aspects of nature-based Pagan religions thrown in, I really felt connected to this church. I also overheard the cutest conversation between a boy of about five and his mom in here, while he was looking at a carving of Jesus on the cross.
Hey mom? Is that Jesus, or is that their god?
Its Jesus.
Oh, good.
Little kids on religion- always cute! Im actually pretty impressed that a kid that little understood the concept of there being religions other than his own, though!
Ill also add in a note here that if you do tours that are big on walking like this one, BRING WATER. We had lots of bathroom breaks where I had a chance to stop at the water fountain, but I had forgotten to bring a bottle of water, so by Norway, I was so thirsty that I actually asked if we could take a quick break while I bought a bottle. So, Ill repeat- Bring Water! Those tiny bottles you can get in WDW veding machines that are about half the size of regular bottles are perfect for carrying around the park with you, since they weigh so much less. Too bad I didnt keep the one I paid $2.50 for on my first night!
Anyway, back to culture and stuff.
Mexico:
After exploring the outside of the pyramid in Mexico, we saw a few things in the first area inside (Finally got to see the displays where the backgrounds change, too!), and then the tour ended. I snapped a few pictures of the indoor marketplace while we talked about it at the very end of the tour.
So, why is it always nighttime in the market? First of all, it makes the volcano look really cool. Second, if we were really in Mexico, people would be off at siesta during the middle of the day, and the marketplace would close down. Therefore, its always night so that no siesta is needed!
I went back out to see the Mexican carvings in the first room. The carvers believe that there is a spirit in the wood, and by carving it into its desired shape, they free the spirit. The carvings are all of fantastical animals, and I absolutely fell in love with them!
I really wanted to get one, but the little mouse that was only about two inches long (the smallest) was $22, which was a little out of my budget. The larger ones are a little more reasonable in price compared to their size, and now I really wish that Id just put myself in more debt and bought one (Especially when you hear what happened with my finances when I got home!). Next trip I need to budget fifty million dollars to spend on these guys- theyre all so cool! I focused on my favorites in these pictures, but now that I look back at them, I keep seeing others in the background that are just as neat!
After some time in the Mexican pavilion, I was *starving*, so I went off to the Land to get my favorite strawberry cheesecake. It comes with half a strawberry on top, so that totally makes it healthy, right?
Just grab your favorite dessert, Im sure youre worn out from reading this far, too!
While I was sitting eating my cheesecake, I noticed that the big hot air balloons were missing from the ceiling!
Im guessing they were down because of the construction going on for Soarin, but it seemed so weird without them!
I really wanted to do more Epcot, because I was in such an Epcotty mood by now (not to mention that its my favorite park, and this was my first visit here this trip), but I was so tired, so I figured Id better start heading for the front of the park. Its so frustrating to be all mentally charged and ready to go, but physically exhausted.
Overheard from a woman heading towards the World Showcase as I left- Hey, Susan, come with me!
Susan: Why?
So we can BUY things!
On my way out of the park, I decided that I should stop in Innoventions to send a postcard home. My feet could stand a little more walking, right? After sending one of the Remember to feed my fish! ones to my mom, who was left at home in charge of feeding the fish, I aimed for the exit again. But wait! Look at these cool statues at Art of Disney! Maybe Ill just pop in there for a minute
I wish I had a photo of the Figment one- they were awesome! Art of Disney also has the coolest postcards EVER, which they should be, since theyre $1 each! Here are a couple that I picked up:
Now, time to get out of Epcot! But wait! Theres no line for SSE! And sitting down sounds really nice about now
I have to preface this by saying that I have NEVER fallen asleep on a ride (The briefing room movie at Living Seas SO does not count). However, after so much of this hard work called vacation, I hopped in my SSE time machine, and something about the darkness, the music, the seat tilting back a little, and oh yes, that wonderful voice of Jeremy Irons, I was ready to just ask the ride operators if they would let me stay on for an hour or so to rest up. (I forgot how much I love Ironss voice! They better not replace the voice track again. Unless its with Alan Rickman but I digress.)
So, Crystal! You bought that fancy new video camera with nightvision so that you could record some of the dark rides! Did you capture the Iro err, SSE? Nope. I was a big dork and hardly videotaped at all on this trip, even though Id just bought the new camcorder just for this purpose. I do have a few nifty videos to share, but I got home and discovered that my computer doesnt have a firewire card, so unless you want the poor-quality transfers that I get with USB, theyll have to wait. I did, however, manage to snap these two photos (no flash, I was a good girl) when SSE stopped for a minute:
SSE behind me, I was finally ready to exit the park for my afternoon break. Nap time!
Overheard as I exited the park:
Do they still have that Tapestry parade?
Yeah, its at 3:00.
(Doh!)
Up Next- Back to Epcot for the night!
Concerning Our Cast:
Crystal (WDW Poly Princess)- Turning 23 on this trip, my 5th trip to WDW, 3rd solo trip.
Kiki- Friend from Orlando who makes a cameo appearance as our superhero, Airport Transport Girl.
Katie- Twenty-something friend who lives just outside of Orlando. We met on an online horse message board about ten years ago, and have been in touch ever since.
JP- Katies brother, who Ive talked to online for years, but have never met until now.
~*~*~*~
"All travelers face the problem of selecting their personal set of destinations and activities from a planet-sized menu"- from "The World Awaits- How to travel far and well"
I am a big dork. For some reason, I didnt take any notes about what happened today, so Im relying on my eighty zillion pictures from the day to get me through!
Today it the day for the Hidden Treasures of the World Showcase tour! Ive done two WDW tours before (Keys to the Kingdom and Backstage Safari), and Id eventually love to do them all, but two per trip seems like enough to me, so this trip its this one and Wild By Design at AK later this week.
We were told to meet up for the tour outside Guest Relations at Epcot, which is apparently where all of the tours meet, because the Yuletide Fantasy people as well as two other tours (Which I cant remember at all right now) were there, too. I was on the 9am tour for HT (Typing out Hidden blah blah takes way too long), so we ended up going in the park just a minute before the rest of the crowd.
We started the tour by going to the area near Fountainview Cafe in with a bunch of giant black and white photos detailing the history of Walt and WDW. Im sure that whatever was discussed in here was fascinating, but I was way too anxious to get into the WS to really take any of it in! After about ten minutes or so here, we set off for Canada. Since the WS didnt open for another hour or so, we got to enjoy the lack of crowds, but it didnt click in my head that no crowds = good photo opportunities until somewhere in France, so sorry for the lack of Canada and UK photos! In Canada, we walked all the way to the back, where I had actually never been before, to look at the mountains. After getting a good idea of what they looked like from the front, we slipped through a door that led backstage, and got to see them from behind! I dont want to spoil it for those who like to keep the magic in tact, so Ill just say that it wasnt at all what I expected!
In the UK, we stopped to look at the herb garden outside the tea shop, and the tour guide (I feel so awful for forgetting her name! I can tell you, however, that she was a photographer that teaches at the Disney Institute, and has a degree in psychology. Im so good with remembering *stuff* about people, but awful about their names!) showed us how you can squeeze the leaf of an herb to really get the smell of it. (Keep this herb garden in mind for later in the trip, by the way!) I really wish I could remember more of what we learned about the UK pavilion, since its one of my favorite countries, but I guess this is what I get for not taking notes!
In France, I finally got to see the artists easel with the painting near the water, and also finally figured out that taking photos with no crowds is fun, and thus I present this crooked, off-center photo of France. Lets just call my photography technique here artsy, shall we?
In Morocco, the unintended star of the show was this squirrel, who was perched atop the Tangerine Café sign (Kind of hard to see, I know, but if you squint, you can see his tail sticking out over the top of the sign, and make the rest of him out from there). The thing is, this sign is suspended from the side of the building, so we couldnt figure out how he got up there! Apparently, neither could he, because he seemed to be searching for a way off! Finally, after a few trapeze artist-like maneuvers that kept us all enthralled with him, he climbed down the side of the building, spiderman style!
We were in Morocco when they background music and sounds for WS were finally turned on, which made me realize what a difference those things make! The whole area felt weird enough with no crowds, but the lack of music made it feel so incomplete! I guess that half of what makes WS so great is the whole big hodgepodge of sounds and people and performers and music that you dont appreciate until theyre gone!
Germany was up next, and as we were stopped outside a store, I noticed this stein in the window- thats a model of Neuschwanstien in there- the castle the Walt modeled Cinderellas castle after!
Since I really cant remember much of what went on, I think Im just going to post photos with a few notes in between for most of the rest of the tour.
China:
We learned the differences between Chinese and Japanese water gardens. I love this picture, with the CM working and the reflections of the buildings on the water.
The Temple of Heaven. Is it just me, or is the temple kind of crooked?
For comparison, heres a link to a photo of the real Temple of Heaven in China.
The ceiling inside the Temple. Despite all my trips to Epcot, this was my first time to go inside! You can see the Imperial Dragon, as well as phoenixes on the ceiling.
I love how this photo turned out all silhouetted. Taken from inside the Temple looking towards the door- thats one of the Chinese CMs in the middle.
Our tour group listening as the guide told us about the temple. If you stand in the middle and talk, you can feel the vibrations of your voice come back to you.
I dont have any photos of Norway for this part, but I really liked the Stave Church. Id been in before, but never really understood the history. The church is kind of a mix of the old Viking pagan influences (thus all the animal carvings in the design), and the new Christianity. Since my own beliefs are mostly Christian with certain aspects of nature-based Pagan religions thrown in, I really felt connected to this church. I also overheard the cutest conversation between a boy of about five and his mom in here, while he was looking at a carving of Jesus on the cross.
Hey mom? Is that Jesus, or is that their god?
Its Jesus.
Oh, good.
Little kids on religion- always cute! Im actually pretty impressed that a kid that little understood the concept of there being religions other than his own, though!
Ill also add in a note here that if you do tours that are big on walking like this one, BRING WATER. We had lots of bathroom breaks where I had a chance to stop at the water fountain, but I had forgotten to bring a bottle of water, so by Norway, I was so thirsty that I actually asked if we could take a quick break while I bought a bottle. So, Ill repeat- Bring Water! Those tiny bottles you can get in WDW veding machines that are about half the size of regular bottles are perfect for carrying around the park with you, since they weigh so much less. Too bad I didnt keep the one I paid $2.50 for on my first night!
Anyway, back to culture and stuff.
Mexico:
After exploring the outside of the pyramid in Mexico, we saw a few things in the first area inside (Finally got to see the displays where the backgrounds change, too!), and then the tour ended. I snapped a few pictures of the indoor marketplace while we talked about it at the very end of the tour.
So, why is it always nighttime in the market? First of all, it makes the volcano look really cool. Second, if we were really in Mexico, people would be off at siesta during the middle of the day, and the marketplace would close down. Therefore, its always night so that no siesta is needed!
I went back out to see the Mexican carvings in the first room. The carvers believe that there is a spirit in the wood, and by carving it into its desired shape, they free the spirit. The carvings are all of fantastical animals, and I absolutely fell in love with them!
I really wanted to get one, but the little mouse that was only about two inches long (the smallest) was $22, which was a little out of my budget. The larger ones are a little more reasonable in price compared to their size, and now I really wish that Id just put myself in more debt and bought one (Especially when you hear what happened with my finances when I got home!). Next trip I need to budget fifty million dollars to spend on these guys- theyre all so cool! I focused on my favorites in these pictures, but now that I look back at them, I keep seeing others in the background that are just as neat!
After some time in the Mexican pavilion, I was *starving*, so I went off to the Land to get my favorite strawberry cheesecake. It comes with half a strawberry on top, so that totally makes it healthy, right?
Just grab your favorite dessert, Im sure youre worn out from reading this far, too!
While I was sitting eating my cheesecake, I noticed that the big hot air balloons were missing from the ceiling!
Im guessing they were down because of the construction going on for Soarin, but it seemed so weird without them!
I really wanted to do more Epcot, because I was in such an Epcotty mood by now (not to mention that its my favorite park, and this was my first visit here this trip), but I was so tired, so I figured Id better start heading for the front of the park. Its so frustrating to be all mentally charged and ready to go, but physically exhausted.
Overheard from a woman heading towards the World Showcase as I left- Hey, Susan, come with me!
Susan: Why?
So we can BUY things!
On my way out of the park, I decided that I should stop in Innoventions to send a postcard home. My feet could stand a little more walking, right? After sending one of the Remember to feed my fish! ones to my mom, who was left at home in charge of feeding the fish, I aimed for the exit again. But wait! Look at these cool statues at Art of Disney! Maybe Ill just pop in there for a minute
I wish I had a photo of the Figment one- they were awesome! Art of Disney also has the coolest postcards EVER, which they should be, since theyre $1 each! Here are a couple that I picked up:
Now, time to get out of Epcot! But wait! Theres no line for SSE! And sitting down sounds really nice about now
I have to preface this by saying that I have NEVER fallen asleep on a ride (The briefing room movie at Living Seas SO does not count). However, after so much of this hard work called vacation, I hopped in my SSE time machine, and something about the darkness, the music, the seat tilting back a little, and oh yes, that wonderful voice of Jeremy Irons, I was ready to just ask the ride operators if they would let me stay on for an hour or so to rest up. (I forgot how much I love Ironss voice! They better not replace the voice track again. Unless its with Alan Rickman but I digress.)
So, Crystal! You bought that fancy new video camera with nightvision so that you could record some of the dark rides! Did you capture the Iro err, SSE? Nope. I was a big dork and hardly videotaped at all on this trip, even though Id just bought the new camcorder just for this purpose. I do have a few nifty videos to share, but I got home and discovered that my computer doesnt have a firewire card, so unless you want the poor-quality transfers that I get with USB, theyll have to wait. I did, however, manage to snap these two photos (no flash, I was a good girl) when SSE stopped for a minute:
SSE behind me, I was finally ready to exit the park for my afternoon break. Nap time!
Overheard as I exited the park:
Do they still have that Tapestry parade?
Yeah, its at 3:00.
(Doh!)
Up Next- Back to Epcot for the night!
