Who's Gonna Have More Fun? Two PTR's for the Price of One!

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Hi Shelly and Jodi!
Sorry I haven't posted much lately...I have been so busy planning DD17's high school graduation party that's on Sunday!
Great MK updates!
Jodi....what a fabulous EPCOT memory! EPCOT is my favorite park.
Have a good weekend! I probably won't get on here much over the next few days! Can't believe my second daughter is graduating

I'm glad you're still here Lauren!! Have a wonderful weekend!

Morning everyone! Another scorcher here today-- gonna be about 95 with 75% humidity. Lovin IT.

What's everyone doing this weekend? MC is having to study for finals- other than that we are going to be in the pool.

I have to run to the Post office and bank and such but I hope to hurry back and we can all chat if anyone is so inclined. Maybe Shelly will show and give us more Epcot to look at!

Morning Jodi!

Our extreme heat is gone for now. Back to more normal temps for this time of year.

We have DS's soccer tournament this weekend. That's about it here.

Enjoy the pool and tell MC good luck with her finals!

How did you know I'd post mine before you did yours????
You know I'd talk Epcot everyday if I could.
So post yours and give me an Epcot fix today....

Glad your AC is finally fixed, even if it's cooler now- cause you KNOW it's going to be hot and PGH sticky very soon.


And as far as WDW and the heat--- thank goodness for the shops with AC!!!

Somehow I just knew you would have very little patience when it came to talking about Epcot!!

I will post mine soon!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

A DISer has a live video streaming from his Poly Cabana today if anyone is interested!!

http://disdads.com/wdw-live

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Know what we've not done yet??? The Universe of Energy! Can you believe it?? It's getting done this trip!

I think that is the one attraction that we haven't done either. That and Stitch may be the only things we have never been on at WDW. But something tells me we aren't missing anything. We might try UoE next time, but I have to say I'm not expecting much. Maybe I've been putting it off b/c I am not a fan of Ellen at all. Or maybe it's because nearly every comment I have ever read about UoE was something like... "45 minutes of my life that I will never get back!" Those sorts of things just haven't had me racing to get in line for that one! Oh! And we haven't done Captain EO yet either. I forgot about that! But after Shelly's review of it last year.... I'm not in any hurry to try that one as well.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

WOW Jo - Epcot was good to you! I love it too.

There's still a lot of things we haven't done- some we never will just because we don't like certain types of rides.


our weekend is consumed by dance recitals! Tonight is dress rehearsals and one DD is on Saturday night, another is on Sunday night. Usually they try to keep the siblings together, but we were the unlucky family this year. They have multiple classes at each level/age group so they put them in different recital times and then the competition lines are in all of them.

But it's supposed to be gorgeous here after today, so I hope to spend some time outside enjoying the weather! It's been rare to have two nice weekend days!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Epcot ~

As I mentioned before, we all love Epcot very much. Epcot is the main reason we chose the BWI over the Poly last year. And we enjoyed every second of staying so close to this fabulous park. As a matter of fact, we went to Epcot 4 times last year!


Rides/Attractions we love at Epcot:
Soarin
Test Track
Gran Fiesta Tour
Maelstrom
The Seas with Nemo
Spaceship Earth
Mission Space (well the rest of my family loves it – me not so much )
World Showcase
IllumiNations

Continued in next post.....

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

continued.....



Rides/Attractions we like at Epcot:
Turtle Talk with Crush
Living with the Land
Innoventions

Rides/Attractions we thought were just okay at Epcot:
Journey into Imagination with Figment
Captain EO

Rides/Attractions we have never done at Epcot:
Ellen's Energy Adventure
Circle of Life Film
Norway Film
Reflections of China
The American Adventure
Impressions de France
Oh Canada



We had all intentions of seeing all of those films and doing Ellen's Energy as well on last years trip, but none of that happened. We did do a few new things though – Turtle Talk and Captain EO. We thought Turtle Talk was very cute and wish we would have done it when the kids were younger. Captain EO on the other hand, we didn't think was so cute. Very strange and loud and we just didn't care for it all that much. So who knows, maybe we will get to see one or two of those films this year!


A few things we really enjoyed at Epcot last year were Japan and an Eat to the Beat Concert! Japan had previously been one of the countries we blew through on our World Showcase journey. Well last year we had two things we really wanted to check out in Japan. One was Pick-a-Pearl and the other was Pokemon! I had read about pick-a-pearl on the DIS in a few TR's and thought it looked really neat but never planned on doing it. It seemed more like something for mothers & daughters. Then one day I was telling the kids about it and they thought it sounded pretty cool and said they would love to help me pick out my oyster! And over the past year or so the kids have gotten into Pokemon very much. Pokemon games, toys, cards, etc. So since Pokemon is Japanese they had high hopes that Japan in the WS would have some Pokemon “stuff”! So one afternoon we headed over to Epcot just to go to Japan. And to our pleasure what did we find??? Walls and walls of Pokemon stuff and a very short line at pick-a-pearl!

And one good thing did come of the Food & Wine Festival – the Eat to the Beat Concert with Rick Springfield!! We had such a great night that night. It was the first time the kids had ever really been to any type of rock concert and they had a blast!

We will probably go to Epcot about 2-3 times on this trip. We will definitely ride TT and Soarin as much as possible! DH and the boys will all ride Mission Space while I enjoy sitting outside waiting for them in my unconfined space!! We will ride Nemo at least once. And maybe LWTL if there is no line. We will ride the boat rides in Mexico & Norway. And Spaceship Earth a time or two. We will enjoy a few meals in Epcot and lots of candy from candy shop in Germany! We will take in as much of World Showcase as the heat will allow. I'm not sure if we will watch IllumiNations this time or not. Since we saw it so many times last year (once from in the park and several times from our BWI balcony) it is not a priority this trip. But we do love it!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Shelly, I love all your Epcot pictures! It really is an awesome park! I'm so glad you posted the pictures of your passports again. I was just thinking about that yesterday while doing some research on the F&W Festival. Did you say you used a template for those from the Disigns board or did you design them yourself? I'd love to make something like that this year with my DD. She did the bought passport from Epcot last time, but I'd like to do something different this time. I also found out that they give out free passports at the F&W Festival that you can get stamped at the food kiosks. I think I might do that too. But if you have a link or anything that you can share with me about your passports, I'd be very appreciative.

As for surviving the heat at WS... well you'll just have to spend a lot of time in the shops I suppose. (sounds like a good excuse to me!)

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Shelly, I love all your Epcot pictures! It really is an awesome park! I'm so glad you posted the pictures of your passports again. I was just thinking about that yesterday while doing some research on the F&W Festival. Did you say you used a template for those from the Disigns board or did you design them yourself? I'd love to make something like that this year with my DD. She did the bought passport from Epcot last time, but I'd like to do something different this time. I also found out that they give out free passports at the F&W Festival that you can get stamped at the food kiosks. I think I might do that too. But if you have a link or anything that you can share with me about your passports, I'd be very appreciative.

As for surviving the heat at WS... well you'll just have to spend a lot of time in the shops I suppose. (sounds like a good excuse to me!)

Thanks!

I did get the templates from somewhere here on the DIS for the passports. I'll see if I can find it for you.

I like your idea about spending a lot of time in the shops in WS!

 

[RinkyTinkyTinky]

Shelly, I stumbled upon this while I was doing some research today and thought I would share it with you. I thought it was very interesting! I had never seen a map of just TSI before. Maybe you can figure out where you went last time and how to get to what you missed.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Here is the thread where I got the designs for the Epcot Passports.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1509917

I printed them out, put them together, laminated the covers, and added their names to the inside covers. And this is what I ended up with --

They are all filled with stamps and things that the CM's wrote in them.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Shelly, I stumbled upon this while I was doing some research today and thought I would share it with you. I thought it was very interesting! I had never seen a map of just TSI before. Maybe you can figure out where you went last time and how to get to what you missed.

Oh wow, that is very cool! I wish we would have had that when we were there!!

I don't think we ever crossed the bridge to the second island on the left. I think we pretty much covered the whole part on the right.

 

[sjs314]

Good Epcot update Shelly, after reading Jo's and yours I so can not wait to get back to WDW and Epcot.

I was looking for your last TR Shelly to show DH your review of SAI and for the life of me could not find it I am so torn about eating there in October.

Shelly while reading about your seeing Rick Springfield last year , I started to wonder, are the summer concert series going on while you are there in August? If so maybe you will get to see someone good again on this trip

I almost forgot when you posted the live link at the Poly cabana , I started to wonder if you are planning on maybe renting one for your resort switch day? Seems like a great way to spend a day at the Poly beach, I was reading a live report and the tray of fruit and drinks that come with the price of renting the cabana look and sound great. Not sure how expensive it is I know you can rent for half or full day.

 

[GrammyJudy]

Me and the girls have never done the Pick a Pearl so we are looking forward to doing that this trip-- I'm letting Drew pick out my big ugly oyster. Tinkerbell will be bringing the girls the carriages on our Epcot morning....
__________________
My daughter and i did thr pick a pearl in Japan this year and it is so much fun. She got twins and made earrings out of them and I got a large one that i made a real nice necklace with one of their cages. It is a lot of fun!

 

[T*Bird]

Rides/Attractions we have never done at Epcot:
Ellen's Energy Adventure
Circle of Life Film
Norway Film
Reflections of China
The American Adventure
Impressions de France
Oh Canada


I'm noticing a pattern here.........

I have a feeling those cool theatres may become your best friends on this trip. Actually, it's probably a good thing you've skipped the films on your past trips. That way, if you need a break from the heat, you can see something new while cooling off at the same time. We really enjoyed most of the films. I remember not being able to get "O Canada" out of my head, and driving my family crazy singing the first lines of it over and over. (I tend to drive them crazy pretty often. ) Do you know the song I'm talking about? I believe it's the national anthem, but don't quote me on that!

Love this pic!! What handsome young men! (sorry, best smilie I could come up with)

Don't you have a special memory picture from Epcot? Or are you waiting to post it later? Or am I dreaming?






Have fun and good luck at the soccer tournament!

 

[T*Bird]

What, don't you think Orange is my color????? (I try not to wear it if I can help it.... )

You know, every time we've had something happen for us in the parks it's been b/c we were just at the right place in the right time. I think if we had ever tried to force things to occur it wouldn't have been as special.
Norman told us that we wouldn't believe some of the unhappy, complaint- ridden people that they encounter and it makes them so happy to see a family just enjoying one another, that's why he started talking to us.
(really, though,as soon as we get to Epcot I am all smiles b/c I love it so much-- there's no way for me to be unhappy there!)

I wish you'd post a pic of your Drew with the Beatles band! You can do it-- didn't you learn on the Ev-No's??

And if you can't leave North America, then WS is the next best thing! I love the end of Maelstrom where you pull up to the little "Village" in Norway. I could sit in there all day. I'm always happy when they make you wait in there.

Me and the girls have never done the Pick a Pearl so we are looking forward to doing that this trip-- I'm letting Drew pick out my big ugly oyster. Tinkerbell will be bringing the girls the carriages on our Epcot morning....

Yes, I did learn to post pics on the Ev-No thread. But it took me forever to figure it out and I couldn't remember how if my life depended on it. I never back down from a challenge, though, so I may have to dig that pic out and try again. Heck, the hardest part may be finding the pic in all my mixed-up boxes of pictures - this was before digital cameras.

I love Maelstrom, too. I loved the accents of the CM's when they thanked us for visiting Nooorvay.

 

[DisMomAmy]

Great Epcot update Shelly! I'm so excited to be staying at an Epcot resort this year so we can pop in & out!

This year Air Supply, Richard Marx & Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will be playing the Eat to the Beat concerts while we are there. Nobody to die for but I'm sure we'll get a chance to hear some of them perform.

I think that TSI map is posted on the first island sort of near where you get off the raft. Unfortunately it's not anything you can carry around with you but you'll be able to get a sense of which direction to head to find the smaller island.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Good morning everybody! It's a beautiful day here in PA!! Supposed to be around 78-80. Perfect -- not too cool and not too hot! I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Hey didn't Jodi say that she was running to the Post Office and the bank yesterday and then coming back to chat with us??? I'm guessing she got side-tracked at the mall and ditched us!!

Good Epcot update Shelly, after reading Jo's and yours I so can not wait to get back to WDW and Epcot.

I was looking for your last TR Shelly to show DH your review of SAI and for the life of me could not find it I am so torn about eating there in October.

Shelly while reading about your seeing Rick Springfield last year , I started to wonder, are the summer concert series going on while you are there in August? If so maybe you will get to see someone good again on this trip

I almost forgot when you posted the live link at the Poly cabana , I started to wonder if you are planning on maybe renting one for your resort switch day? Seems like a great way to spend a day at the Poly beach, I was reading a live report and the tray of fruit and drinks that come with the price of renting the cabana look and sound great. Not sure how expensive it is I know you can rent for half or full day.

Thanks Sheila!

I found my SAI review for you - http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=39781539&postcount=965 I would recommend giving it a try!

It looks like the summer concerts end in July, so no concert for us this time.

I have given some thought to renting a cabana at the Poly. I'm still contemplating it. It is very expensive and from all the reviews I have read you can't exactly see the pool from the cabana that great. So if the kids wanted to go swim we would have to leave the cabana. So I don't know....

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I'm noticing a pattern here.........

I have a feeling those cool theatres may become your best friends on this trip. Actually, it's probably a good thing you've skipped the films on your past trips. That way, if you need a break from the heat, you can see something new while cooling off at the same time. We really enjoyed most of the films. I remember not being able to get "O Canada" out of my head, and driving my family crazy singing the first lines of it over and over. (I tend to drive them crazy pretty often. ) Do you know the song I'm talking about? I believe it's the national anthem, but don't quote me on that!

Love this pic!! What handsome young men! (sorry, best smilie I could come up with)

Don't you have a special memory picture from Epcot? Or are you waiting to post it later? Or am I dreaming?




Have fun and good luck at the soccer tournament!

You're right, those films just might become our new BFF's this trip!!

Hmm....A special memory pic from Epcot? Boy I don't know, all the Epcot pics are so special! But that's a good idea, maybe we could post a special memory pic from each park later in the TR!


Thanks! We are looking forward to the tournament tomorrow!

Great Epcot update Shelly! I'm so excited to be staying at an Epcot resort this year so we can pop in & out!

This year Air Supply, Richard Marx & Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will be playing the Eat to the Beat concerts while we are there. Nobody to die for but I'm sure we'll get a chance to hear some of them perform.

I think that TSI map is posted on the first island sort of near where you get off the raft. Unfortunately it's not anything you can carry around with you but you'll be able to get a sense of which direction to head to find the smaller island.

Thanks Amy!

You will love staying so close to Epcot!!

It just so happened that Rick Springfield was performing on a night we already had planned to go to Epcot. It's not like we were huge fans or anything, but of all the people playing during the whole F&WF he was the only one we cared to see. And it ended up being one of the best nights of the trip!

 

[sjs314]

Shelly - Thanks for the link gonna go pull it up right now

It is beautiful here too today as was yesterday. I am waiting on DH then were heading out to the store, although I shouldn't be long I checked on a package I am waiting on and it looks as if it should come today so I need to get back by early afternoon.

Talk in a bit - Yesterday my new duffle bag for the trip came DH thinks it is ugly but he hates my new suitcase I bought last year and the duffle matches it (Zebra Print)

 

[T*Bird]

You're right, those films just might become our new BFF's this trip!!

Hmm....A special memory pic from Epcot? Boy I don't know, all the Epcot pics are so special! But that's a good idea, maybe we could post a special memory pic from each park later in the TR!


Thanks! We are looking forward to the tournament tomorrow! :cheer2
!

There was a certain rather tall feline involved, IIRC. Oh my gosh, I sound like I'm not playing with a full deck. I'll have to go back and look for it. I just don't want you to leave out that special pic!

(Sorry about the poor job of quoting....I never seem to get it right.)