Random Thoughts From Marybeth

WDW: Day IV

In many ways this was the best day of our trip. We went back to EPCOT for some of the best rides and attractions that (I think) WDW has to offer. The daytime temperature got up to around 80 degrees (finally, my kind of weather!). And last, but certainly not least, I finally was able to drive to the park and back to the hotel without getting lost on the way.

I would be wiling to have an RFID chip implanted in my body if there were signs that would give me personalized messages - Mary Beth, take the next exit! No worries, Mary Beth, you're on the right road. Hey, MB, you missed your turn!Sure GPS might be cheaper and easier but does it give me the chance to see my name in lights?

While at EPCOT, we rode Soarin' (twice). We used FastPass both times. We would have ridden again but by the time our second ride was over the FastPass time about 7:00 that evening and I wasn't sure we would be there that long. I wanted to ride Soarin' as soon as I read about it before leaving home. The kids weren't too sure about it at first but enjoyed it so much that it was their idea to ride again.

We were among the first group in to see Turtle Talk with Crush that day. Conor and Emma both had questions they wanted to ask but Crush and the cast member with the microphone only seemed to be picking younger children to ask questions. I can understand why they might do this, young kids are more liekly to ask funny questions and ones that don't require 100+ frame-by-frame viewings of Finding Nemo to answer.

We tried several Coca-Cola produced soft drinks from around the world at Club Cool. Kinley Lemon from Israel was pretty good. I didn't try Beverly from Italy but the kids did. They don't recommend it. (I think the exact quotation is, "Oh, yuck!")

While waiting for our second Soarin' ride we had lunch at the Garden Grill in The Land. The food there was very good (and all you can eat, including dessert). We also got to meet some more characters including Mickey, Pluto, Chip, and Dale.

In the afternoon we visited the World Showcase in EPCCOT and did some shopping. After that we went back to Downtown Disney for a bit and then back to the hotel for some swimming. (Kids only this time, it was early evening and the temperature was cooling down too much for me.) We stayed at Port Orleans Riverside so we also had access to the Port Orleans French Quarter pool and the kids wanted to visit it. We took the boat over because, really, the only thing more pleasant than a cool evening swim is the same followed by a chilly boat ride back to the hotel. I was wearing a jacket and still felt cold. It didn't seem to bother Conor and Emma much. Sometimes I wonder if they weren't switched at birth and some cold weather-loving mother is wondering why her children get chilled when the temperature drops below the mid-70s.

This was also the day that the kids discovered Disney pins. I, of course, abstained from all that. (Ignore the clanking of my lanyard and don't check my eBay bids since I've been home.) I didn't tell them about pin collecting and hoped we could make the trip without them discovering it on their own. No such luck. I guess I should be glad that they didn't discover the pins on the first day since they found at least one that they "just have to have" at almost every store and kiosk we visited.

You can see a couple of pictures of the kids with some characters we met at lunch and some from the Lego store in Downtown Disney here.